Plane Passenger Had to Be Removed by Ambulift After ‘Alarming’ Behavior Forced Pilot to Abort Landing

NEED TO KNOW

• Stephen Blofield, 61, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for aggressive behavior and drunkenness on a Ryanair flight in November.

• His actions, including his refusal to sit down and his abusive comments, forced the pilot to abort the landing.

• Authorities said Blofield’s intoxication posed a safety risk and he was removed from the plane using an ambulance.

A plane passenger has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for displaying extremely aggressive behavior during a Ryanair flight in November.

The passenger was traveling from Krakow, Poland, to Bristol, England, when the incident occurred, according to a Tuesday, April 7 press release from Avon and Somerset Police. The British police unit has a team based at Bristol Airport at all times, the airport website states.

Stephen Blofield, 61, pleaded guilty to several charges in February, including being intoxicated during the robbery, police said. He was subsequently sentenced to 10 months in prison at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday April 7. He must also pay a “victim surcharge of £187”. [about $250]” said the police.

In addition to drunkenness, Blofield was charged with “threatening, abusive, insulting and disorderly behavior toward a member of the aircraft crew,” as well as “abusive words or behavior likely to cause harassment, alarm and distress,” police said.

In a statement shared in the release, Bristol Airport Police Team Inspector Christian Gresswell said the man’s actions forced the initial landing of the plane as he “continued to be verbally abusive towards cabin crew” and refused to sit down and fasten his seat belt.

“He was met by officers at Bristol Airport once the flight landed safely,” Gresswell added.

The man was also charged with “failure to obey the lawful orders of a pilot.”

During the hearing at Bristol Crown Court, prosecutor Ian Fenny said the passenger’s behavior was “so alarming and potentially dangerous”, even after the plane had landed, that he had to be evacuated using an ambulance, report the BBC and The Independent. The specialized vehicle is normally used to safely transport disabled passengers, according to outlets.

Fenny added that while Blofield was handcuffed by police, he almost hit a nearby passenger.

The man started drinking at the airport in Poland to calm his pre-flight anxiety and continued drinking on the plane, according to the BBC.

“Passengers have a duty, for safety reasons, to ensure that they are fit enough to fly and are not intoxicated,” Gresswell added in the Avon and Somerset Police press release following Blofield’s conviction.

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“An intoxicated passenger can pose an unacceptable safety risk, and that is why we take this offense so seriously,” the statement added. “We will continue to work closely with airport staff and airlines to ensure the safety of passengers and crew at all times.”

PEOPLE contacted Ryanair and Bristol Airport for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

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