An air rage lout who caused misery on a packed plane and even threatened to "sort out" the captain has been jailed.

Robin Bland, of Laindon, left fellow passengers panicking and even reduced cabin staff to tears as he drank, smoked and swore.

Salesman Bland, 28, of Convent Close, has been jailed for 15 months after admitting two charges of being drunk on an aircraft during 11-hour flights to and from Goa.

Prosecutor Michael Leeming outlined a catalogue of loutish behaviour by Bland on the Monarch A300 Airbus in January.

He intimidated experienced cabin staff and at one stage threatened to "sort the captain out" after he was refused more alcohol.

On his arrest at Manchester airport, a distraught woman traveller told him: "You have got everything you deserve, you totally ruined by holiday."

As he jailed Bland, Judge Brian Lewis told him: "People on the aircraft must have been utterly terrified because of your behaviour.

"What aggravates your position is that having spent a fortnight in the cold light of sobriety you might have taken such steps to curb your behaviour on the return flight.

"But your behaviour then was, if anything, even worse. You failed to learn your lesson."

Problems began when the outward bound journey on New Year's Eve was delayed for three hours.

An off-duty policeman was seated a few rows in front of Bland, whom he observed was very drunk, when he smelled cigarette smoke. It was a non-smoking flight.

Mr Leeming said there were a series of problems involving Bland and a drinking companion, who denies being drunk on an aircraft and has yet to be dealt with by the courts.

On the way to Goa, Bland began playing his stereo very loudly, then swore at staff who warned him if he misbehaved again he would be refused entry back on the plane.

But on the flight home a fortnight later the policeman, PC Peter Atkinson, was again sitting near Bland who was again very drunk.

Bland was using foul and abusive language. Even putting on headphones to view the in-flight entertainment failed to drown out his obscenities.

The court heard Bland:

Used his girlfriend to "guard" the cubicle while he smoked in the toilet

Intimidated the woman purser when he was refused more alcohol

Left passenger Michael Haran "totally on edge" and "expecting violence to erupt"

Reduced another cabin member to tears with a "constant stream of loutish obscenities".

Bland's lawyer, Gwyn Lewis, said his client was a nervous flier who had taken anti-depressant medication which had reacted adversely with the alcohol.

He said Bland, a father of a seven-year-old boy from a former marriage, hadn't told his son of the proceedings against him and bitterly regretted his actions.

He was in danger of losing his job from the publicity, as well as his accommodation which was work-related.

Bland lost his driving licence in February after being convicted of drink driving.

He has now promised to give up alcohol.

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