Easyjet Egypt Hurghada racism: David Nolan admits flight abuse

David Nolan, also known as David Doran, was on an Easyjet flight back to Gatwick Airport from the Egyptian resort of Hurghada with members of his family sitting throughout the plane.

The 23-year-old was seen drinking before boarding, and carried on demanding booze on board.

He spouted racist abuse at a black passenger, Michael Aderemi, branding him a “f****** baboon” and an “orangutan”, Lewes Crown Court heard.

Nolan made threats to attack him, and said other passengers had made the plane smelly.

Passengers were left “terrified”, with one saying the behaviour of Nolan and his family was: “Disorderly, erratic, it was like being at the zoo.”

He called his partner “f****** ugly”, a “fat b****”, threatened to “smash her face in" and said “nobody likes you, not even your children like you".

On approach to landing, Nolan tried to get up to go to the toilet, and when challenged told the cabin crew: “I will just have to p*** myself then.”

It led to one passenger suffering a panic attack, while others were in tears.

Police arrived after the plane landed and officers were applauded as they arrested Nolan.

The judge said he was the type of passenger that everyone dreads, and jailed Nolan for 16 months.

An EasyJet plane on its final approach before landing at Gatwick airport, which has been closed after drones were spotted over the airfield Wednesday night and throughout Thursday. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday December 21, 2018. See PA

James Caldwell, prosecuting, said the incident happened on the flight to Gatwick on January 16 last year.

He said Nolan had “abused” and “goaded” other passengers and his own partner.

Nolan had threatened to knock out Mr Aderemi’s teeth and “spread” Mr Aderemi’s nose “across his face”.

“I will knock you glasses so far into your face they will be contact lenses,” Nolan boasted.

Sharmaine Aderemi, also on board, said she was shocked by her experience and the “physical and verbal torrent of abuse”.

She said: “I felt besieged by the man, with no escape. He was tanked up with alcohol to a level I feel is not acceptable on board a plane.

“I feel it is unacceptable for someone to disparage someone in such a way. I was angered and sickened by the way he behaved.”

She criticised how the incident had been handled by Easyjet staff, who seemed to think her family had started the abuse, and questioned other passengers for failing to challenge Nolan’s racist abuse.

When Nolan was arrested he shouted: “You don’t know how many of my family are on board.”

At first, he denied the offences and said he was “shocked” by the allegations.

But at Lewes Crown Court Nolan admitted racist provocation of violence and being drunk on board an aircraft.

Tom Edwards, defending, said his client’s behaviour was “appalling” and “disgusting” but said Nolan has struggled with depression.

Mr Edwards said his client does not have "entrenched hostility" to anyone based on their "race, creed or colour" and said Nolan was "hugely apologetic" for his "out of character" outbursts.

He said his client is from a Traveller background and his former partner is now expecting their third child.

Mr Edwards also said there has been no evidence of domestic violence by Nolan towards his partner.

Nolan, a labourer, of Court Mead, Northolt, Ealing, appeared in court wearing a white shirt and tie.

His Honour Judge Mark Van Der Zwart said Nolan's "unruly" behaviour continued throughout the five-hour flight and said he was "noticeably drunk".

The judge said: "Simply because he had the confidence and courage to ask you, politely, to sit down and shut up, you gave him a volley of racist abuse.

"Mr Aderemi kept his cool despite a torrent of abuse from you. Other passengers were clearly terrified.

"It was no wonder the passengers applauded the arrival of the police. You were blaming everybody else and accusing them of bad behaviour towards you and your family.

"I don't believe any of that at all. Your attitude was unrepentant.

"It was claimed you have been bullied because of your cultural background. You were behaving in exactly the same way to other people.

"You were the type of passenger that all air passengers dread. Drunk, aggressive, racist, and violent."

Nolan pleaded for a suspended sentence, but the judge said only an immediate sentence would be justified.

"I'm sorry, I know I was wrong, I'm remorseful," he said.

"Go down, Mr Nolan," the judge replied, to the sound of tears of those in court.

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