A Northern Irish top grammar school physical education instructor, Peter Shepherd, appeared in court for his actions aboard an easyJet flight returning from Egypt. The incident involved drunken behavior amounting to air rage, leading to charges following an assault on a female cabin crew manager. Shepherd, of Whinfield in Larne, pleaded guilty to charges of assault, disorderly conduct, intoxication on an aircraft, and abusive behavior during the flight.
During the court proceedings at Antrim Magistrates Court in Ballymena, it was revealed that Shepherd’s disruptive behavior towards the crew prompted a passenger to suggest restraining him. The prosecutor described the assault as physical, involving threatening and abusive language. Shepherd pressed his forehead against the cabin manager’s face while shouting at her during the incident.
Despite initially denying the allegations, Shepherd admitted to consuming alcohol before boarding and drinking from a hip flask during the flight. In his defense, Shepherd’s lawyer highlighted his client’s remorse and shame over the incident, attributing the behavior to excessive alcohol consumption due to a fear of flying.
The judge emphasized the seriousness of such behavior on a plane, especially in a confined space, and sentenced Shepherd to 120 hours of community service as an alternative to imprisonment. Additionally, Shepherd was fined £500 and ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the assaulted cabin crew manager. The court noted that Shepherd’s employment status at the school would be addressed by the Board of Governors following the legal proceedings.
