Drunk air passenger who fondled woman on Edinburgh-bound flight is spared jail
A drunk air passenger who abused cabin crew after he was told off for fondling a woman on a holiday flight packed with families has been spared jail due to him attending the Priory Clinic.
Michael Fyvie was seen by air staff with his hand down the trousers of a woman while the pair were “passionate kissing” on board the Jet2 flight from Tenerife to Edinburgh.
Fyvie, 35, was asked to stop his amorous advances but reacted by branding air stewards and passengers as “mongos”, “retards” and “faggots”.
He also called stunned passengers “paedos” and “inbreds” and threatened one man by shouting “sit down before I put those glasses into your face”.
The concerned air staff informed the captain of the flight of Fyvie’s drunken behaviour and police were put on standby at Edinburgh Airport when the plane landed at around 1.15am on August 10, 2024.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told passengers were seen to be “loudly applauding” as Fyvie was subsequently escorted from the Boeing 737 by officers.
He appeared at the Capital’s sheriff court last year where he pleaded guilty to charges of being drunk on board an aircraft and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
The offences were prosecuted under Section 1 of the Hate Crime and Public Disorder (Scotland) Act 2021 and aggravated by prejudice to disability and sexual orientation.
He returned for sentencing on Monday, when defence solicitor Nigel Beaumont said his client had been admitted to the Priory Clinic for treatment to his alcoholic condition last month.
Mr Beaumont said Fyvie, of Leith, Edinburgh, had also been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and was “very much ashamed”of his behaviour on board the flight.
The lawyer told the court Fyvie had been on a “drink free holiday” with the woman but had relapsed on the way home and accepted he had gone on to cause “chaos on the aircraft”.
Sheriff Gillian Sharp said Fyvie had shown “limited insight” into his offending and his previous motivation to address his alcoholism had been “poor”.
Sheriff Sharp said: “Your behaviour on a flight with young families on board was utterly reckless on a number of levels, causing significant fear and alarm to cabin crew and passengers on the flight.
“Taking into account you have been detoxed at the Priory, and for that reason, and that reason only, I am prepared to give you a chance today. You have narrowly avoided custody.”
Fyvie was sentenced to a three year supervision order and must attend substance misuse and mental health services when required to do so by his supervising officer. He was also ordered to carry out 270 hours of unpaid work and fined £400.
Previously prosecutor Frankie Liddle told the court air stewards could smell alcohol on Fyvie as he boarded the flight in Tenerife at 9.15pm on August 9, 2024.
Ms Liddle said: “During the flight a passenger reported the accused and his friend were very touchy with each other. He observed the offender passionately kissing the female, stroking her hair and pressing her against the side of the cabin.
“Witnesses approached the offender and the female and asked them to stop.”
He had initially apologised but was later seen by staff kissing the woman again and with “his hand down the front of her trousers”.
Fyvie was told his behaviour was “inappropriate” and he said woman was his wife and the couple were on their honeymoon.
The court heard the drunk flyer had verbally abused air crew and raised his fists to challenge passengers to a fight.
The woman traveling with Fyvie later told police the couple were not married and described their short relationship as “friends with benefits”.