Disruptive RyanAir passenger is jailed for eight weeks after downing confiscated wine in the toilet

A drunk plane passenger who brought his own wine and started downing it in the toilet after it was confiscated has been jailed for eight weeks.

Meredith Gibbons became a nightmare for RyanAir staff on his flight from Alicante to Newcastle when he started drinking large amounts of booze and becoming disruptive.

Newcastle Crown Court heard staff confiscated wine from him as it had not been purchased onboard but Gibbons retrieved it from the galley and snuck it into the toilet so he could continue drinking. 

The police were called and waited for the plane to land to arrest the 36-year-old on November 19.

Disruptive passenger Meredith Gibbons, 36, became a nightmare for RyanAir staff on his flight from Alicante to Newcastle when he started drinking large amounts of booze

Prosecutor Nicholas Lane said: ‘The police constable made his way to the gate where the aircraft had arrived and was told by members of the crew that the passenger on seat 5A was drunk and had been disruptive during the flight. 

‘Mr Gibbons was that passenger.’

The court heard that the police officer initially placed just one handcuff on Gibbons to allow him to safely walk down the steps.

However, he continued being abusive and threatened to ‘launch’ them downwards.

As they touched down on the ground both handcuffs were placed on him but he continued to struggle with the officer, who had called for assistance by this point.

Gibbons, of no fixed address. who has 12 previous convictions for 26 offences, later pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft.

Staff confiscated wine from him as it had not been purchased onboard but Gibbons retrieved it from the galley and snuck it into the toilet so he could continue drinking

Kate Barnes, mitigating, told the court that Gibbons had been asked to hand over his wine because it was not purchased on board.

However, he then was able to retrieve it from the galley and snuck it into the toilet where he continued drinking.

Ms Barnes said: ‘It’s embarrassing behaviour and behaviour that’s clearly caused a nuisance to the cabin staff.

‘It’s thankful that is where the behaviour stops. He has not been charged with any assault or public order offences.

‘He had to deal with a very traumatic incident in 2019, he and his then partner had a fourth child who they lost at eight-months-old.

‘He had coped very badly with that. He tells me he had been trying to remain clean and sober but on this incident he had been on holiday with his now current partner.

‘He thought things were all right but that was a naïve and misguided view.’

However, the court heard that Gibbons had been seeing a therapist to help with his issues. Mr Recorder Tom Moran sentenced him to eight weeks in prison.

The judge said: ‘There is a duty for you to behave for the safety of everybody else. Somewhat unusually there is no direct evidence from the crew or passengers on the plane.’

The judge added: ‘There is the offer of a job to start shortly and a reference from your mother’s partner who is a retired professor who paints a very different picture of a very different side of your character.’