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Drunken US student who forced British Airways plane to be diverted for biting passenger is jailed

Jeffrey Libby has been jailed for six months (Picture: Metropolitan Police)
Jeffrey Libby has been jailed for six months (Picture: Metropolitan Police)

A US student whose drunken behaviour forced a transatlantic British Airways flight to be diverted after he bit a fellow passenger has been jailed for six months.

Jeffrey Libby, 21, from Fort Worth, Texas, was “aggressive and abusive” towards passengers and crew members after drinking a bottle of Bacardi rum he had brought on board.

He assaulted two passengers and one member of cabin crew on the December 17 flight last year, scratching and hitting them and even biting one passenger’s fingers, police said.

The flight to Dallas had to be turned around only an hour after takeoff and landed back at Heathrow Airport.

The British Airways flight was forced to return to Heathrow, where Libby was met by police (Picture: PA)
The British Airways flight was forced to return to Heathrow, where Libby was met by police (Picture: PA)

Libby was restrained by order of the plane’s captain while the flight returned to Heathrow, where he was met by officers from the Metropolitan Police.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of common assault at Isleworth Crown Court, one count of being drunk on board an aircraft, and one count of using threatening, abusive or insulting words towards cabin crew.

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As well as being given a six-month prison sentence, Libby was fined £100 and ordered to pay £415 in costs and victim surcharge.

The court heard Libby began drinking after being dumped by text by his girlfriend while waiting to board his flight.

Libby got drunk after he was dumped by his girlfriend by text message (Picture: Metropolitan Police)
Libby got drunk after he was dumped by his girlfriend by text message (Picture: Metropolitan Police)

Once it had taken off, he began kicking and punching the seat in front of him.

Detective Inspector Matt East, from the Metropolitan Police’s Aviation Policing Command, said: “Libby’s behaviour was extremely reckless and he put the safety of the passengers and crew on board at risk.

“Not only that, but his actions caused considerable disruption and inconvenience for all those on board, and the airline had to rearrange flights for the 191 other passengers.

“Drunken, abusive and violent behaviour on board any flight is completely unacceptable. Anyone behaving in this way should know that it will not be tolerated by the crew and that they can expect to be arrested, put before the courts and could face several months behind bars.”

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