Air rage passenger jailed
01.07.08
A Canadian children's entertainer has been jailed for a year after an air rage incident on board a transatlantic flight from Vancouver to Gatwick via Belfast. Michael Roy Shick, 40, of Vancouver, wept as he was sentenced at Antrim Crown Court.
Mr Shick was taken off a Zoom Airlines jet at Belfast International Airport in March after abusing passengers and staff while intoxicated through alcohol and drugs. He smuggled his own alcohol on-board the flight and became drunk, disorderly and abusive for most of the eight-hour journey.
Mr Shick's defence council said he has alcohol problems and that he had mixed alcohol, prescription medication and sleeping tablets at the time of the incident, which lasted several hours.
Mr Shick had to be handcuffed to his feet and a blanket put over his head by flight attendants and passengers in a bid to subdue him. Although he was restrained for more than four hours, he continued to berate passengers and crew and pushed a female crew member. He also spat in the mouth and face of a flight attendant.
His defence lawyer told the court that since the incident, Mr Shick has lost his home in Canada and possibly lost his job as a children's entertainer. He had previously pleaded guilty to six charges - three of assault, plus acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft, being drunk on an aircraft and criminal damage to an aircraft seat
Judge Patrick Lynch QC told Mr Shick he was ‘one of the most hapless visitors to these shores that I have had to deal with. You are entirely the author of your own misfortune. You've frightened people. The last thing you need while on a plane is someone such as yourself behaving the way you did.’ He is to be deported to Canada at the end of his sentence.
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