A Norfolk businessman has been jailed for six months for an attack on a passenger and stewards on board a flight from Thailand.

Edward Gough, said to be high on a cocktail of alcohol and prescription drugs, marched in to the business section of the plane and forcibly removed a passenger from his seat, dumped him in the aisle and took his place.

Isleworth Crown Court in London heard that when cabin crew on the Eva Air flight from Bangkok to London's Heathrow tried to get Gough back to his economy-class seat, he went berserk, injuring two of them and having to be restrained with help from other passengers.

Gough, a 54 year-old father-of-two from Fisher Way, Thetford, admitted three charges of common assault on a passenger and members of the airline's crew on November 1 2006.

Jailing him on Saturday, Judge Patricia Dangor pointed out “You were reckless in drinking alcohol when you were on two types of prescribed medication which come with warnings that alcohol should not be taken.

“The result of that recklessness is that you don't remember what happened. People who fly have a special duty to make sure that their behaviour doesn't frighten other people.

“Your behaviour was nothing short of terrifying, not only for the victims, but for the other passengers on the 'plane."

Gough was returning from a holiday and had “several glasses of wine” having apparently taken some Diazepan prescribed for him, said Mr Meikle.

The court heard he walked into the business class section of the plane and grabbed another passenger, Sung Pin Chen, pulled him from his seat, “deposited him in the aisle” and sat in his seat.

Gough, who had been was asked to move, then sat in someone else's seat while walking back to his own. When again asked to move, he jumped up, grabbed the female steward by the neck and forcibly pushed her on to the armrest of the seat, hurting her back.

Finally other members of the crew, helped by passengers, restrained Gough and used plastic straps to tie him to his seat in economy class where he remained until police boarded the flight at Heathrow and arrested him.

Defending, Simon Gruchy, said he was still unable to remember any of the incidents but accepted what was said and put it down to the combination of alcohol and medicine. He was full of remorse.

Title should be 'Don't mix Diazepan and booze".

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