Construction boss Michael Ward, 33, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, was at Manchester Crown Court today jailed for two years after he admitted to being drunk on an aircraft and affray
A drunken bridegroom and his stag party caused 'eight hours of pure hell' on a flight to Las Vegas last year - wreaking havoc by fighting, swearing, and doing press-ups in the aisle, a court heard today.
Construction boss Michael Ward, 33, and three of his seven strong group got drunk on rum and Grey Goose vodka before bringing misery to the 8am Thomas Cook flight on March 24, 2018 - with one shouting: 'I've got £300 of alcohol here.'
During the 5,000 mile journey from Manchester Airport, cabin crew had to confiscate five litres of alcohol from the Britons when they became rowdy and sweary towards fellow passengers as the plane cruised at 30,000 feet.
One of the stag party began performing drunken press up in the aisle while shouting 'boom', while another deliberately sought to wreak revenge on a stewardess after she refused to serve him alcohol.
He sat opposite the stewardess and said: 'I'm going to ruin your time like you've ruined ours'. Two of the men also tried to lift the skirt of one female member of cabin crew.
The pilot of MT2924 eventually had to make an unscheduled stop at the Canadian province of Winipegg 1,600 miles away from Las Vegas so they could eject their unruly group.
The aircraft had to dump 10,000kg of fuel as a result and the remainder of 316 passengers on board including 12 children had to wait almost three hours before the plane took off again to complete its journey.
The airline were left with a bill of £29,182 - including the cost of paying for return flights back to the UK for five of the group.
Father of one Daniel Howarth (left), 35, also from Oldham, was jailed for 19 months after he admitted being drunk on an aircraft and a public order offence. Scott Capper was jailed for two years after he admitted being drunk on an aircraft and affray
Ward (pictured) was among two men who tried to lift the skirt of a stewardess and were throwing water at each other during the horror flight
In a statement one passenger, Francis Dwyer, said: 'They were screaming and shouting and one of them called a stewardess a 'scouse b****' when she refused to serve them alcohol.
'I could see males behind us fighting and punching each other whilst one was doing push ups in the aisle. It was eight hours of pure hell.'
At Manchester Crown Court, father of two Ward, and guests Scott Capper, 32, a businessman and father of three and Craig Hopwood, 35, a carpet fitter and father of two and all from Oldham, were each jailed for two years after they admitted being drunk on an aircraft and affray.
Father of one Daniel Howarth, 35, also from Oldham, was jailed for 19 months after he admitted being drunk on an aircraft and a public order offence.
Prosecutor David Lees said: 'The defendants were all part of a stag party and were under the influence of alcohol from the start of the flight.
'They continued to drink their own alcohol during the flight despite being told not to do so.
Hopwood, 35, a carpet fitter and father of two was jailed for two years after he admitted being drunk on an aircraft and affray
'At the start of this flight the cabin manager had even made an announcement that it was illegal to be drunk on the Las Vegas flight due to previous issues with stag parties.
'A number of bottles of spirits were confiscated from them and the group were rowdy offensive and fighting amongst themselves.'
The court heard a stewardess had speak to the group three times before take off and a passenger who tried to joke with them about their behaviour was told: 'f*** off you t**' before having his chair
