TUI flight makes emergency landing as homophobic passenger spills booze over little girl

James Rae, 29, caused one flight to be grounded and another to be delayed by more than 17 hours after he spilled alcohol on a little girl and made homophobic comments

A TUI flight bound for Turkey was forced to make an emergency landing in Newcastle after a drunken passenger made homophobic comments towards an air steward and spilled booze all over a little girl.

James Rae wreaked havoc on the plane travelling from Glasgow, Scotland, to Antalya on Friday, May 24 - which caused one flight to be grounded and another to be delayed by more than 17 hours. The 29-year-old began using "bad language" and was "derogatory" towards TUI staff, calling one air steward a "gay boy" and telling him he was only being picked on because he was straight.

Rae was also repeatedly "banging" his head against the seat in front of him, and spilled alcohol all over a little girl. Newcastle Magistrates Court heard how airline staff had asked Rae to stop swearing on board as there were children on the plane. Rehana Haque, prosecuting, said Rae, who "smelt intoxicated" began drinking spirits he had purchased in duty free while on the flight.

A statement from airline staff, which was read by the prosecutor, said: "The cabin manager explained to him that his behaviour was unacceptable." It added that Rae was "speaking in an aggressive manner towards us". His unruly behaviour meant the pilot was forced to divert the plane to Newcastle International Airport, leaving several holidaymakers delayed in their travels to sunny Antalya.

Rae was arrested after the flight landed in Newcastle. The incident sparked further airport chaos after the journey was delayed by a total of five hours and 23 minutes, and the return flight from Antalya was delayed by more than 17 hours.

A statement from the captain of the flight read in court detailed how the ordeal was a "massive inconvenience to my airline". He added: "The whole situation made me feel very annoyed."

Rae, of West Bridge Street, Falkirk, Scotland, pleaded guilty to entering aircraft when drunk. Janice Hall, defending, told the court Rae is of "previous good character". The magistrates transferred the case to Newcastle Crown Court, where Rae is due to appear on November 6.

Chair of the bench Steven Johnson told him: "This is beyond our sentencing powers."