A disruptive, drunk passenger delayed a flight from Newcastle to Thailand. He was arrested after an aggressive display.
Shaun Hewitt planned to fly to Thailand for work. He had a business class ticket. Before boarding, he drank too much, it seems. He got loud and wouldn’t quiet down. His bad behavior involved yelling and swearing.
The crew felt really uneasy because of it. They decided to return the plane to the gate. Police showed up to handle the situation. Hewitt got even angrier with the police. He cursed at them using very rude words. He claimed he hadn’t done anything wrong.
At court, he said he only had two beers. But he needed restraint and got arrested anyway. He admitted he was drunk on the plane. The prosecutor described what happened last December. Hewitt refused to move after noise complaints. He swore a lot at that point.
The crew felt unsafe with him on the flight. The plane was ready for takeoff. But the plane had to go back. The defense lawyer stated Hewitt was going to work. His grandma had passed away recently.
Grief and inheritance money were factors, he said. He bought a flight upgrade with some of it. The judge explained the court’s limited powers. The crime needed a higher court’s involvement. She sent the case to a higher court.
Hewitt caused major flight delays. He misbehaved with trapped passengers. Hewitt is out on bail until his next court date. He must appear in court this April.