Drunk businessman tried to kiss male British Airways flight attendant after drinking vodka and wine as he and his wife returned from the Bahamas
A married businessman tried to kiss a male flight attendant after drinking vodka and wine as he and his wife returned from the Bahamas, a court heard.
Philip Gould, 64, drank heavily on a BA flight from the Bahamas to London Heathrow on June 25 last year.
Gould slapped his wife and then abused the cabin crew as he and his wife returned home from a luxury holiday in Grand Cayman.
When the businessman refused more drinks, a male flight attendant rudely offered him one.
The soaked pilot repeatedly called the cabin crew ‘s***’ before lunging for the cockpit door and shouting angrily at the captain.
Gould has previously admitted sexual assault, acting in a manner that endangered an aircraft and being drunk on a plane.
At a new hearing at Isleworth Crown Court today, Judge Fiona Barrie deferred sentencing until next month but warned the married businessman he could face prison.
Philip Gould, 64, drank vodka and wine on a BA flight from the Bahamas to London Heathrow on June 25 last year.
‘This court has a very pessimistic view of people acting drunk on planes,’ he said.
‘Jail time is a possible possibility here. It is in your best interest to be represented by a lawyer.’
Prosecutor Ashleigh Ettienne told an earlier hearing: ‘Three hours into the flight the defendant appeared drunk and cabin crew were notified.
Ten minutes later he approached the cockpit and began banging on the door and was seen shouting at the cabin crew, captain and passengers.
‘The cabin crew regarded his movements as a serious safety issue and positioned themselves between the flight deck door and the defendant.
‘The defendant pushed a cabin crew member in the chest with his arm, causing him to stumble backwards and strike a passenger.’
BA staff warned the pilot and told Gould to calm down, which made him even more angry.
Gould then shouted to the cabin crew, ‘I’m going to kill you, there aren’t enough people on the plane to restrain me’, then slapped his wife and grabbed her by the hair.
When a panicked stewardess tried to intervene, Gould shouted at her: ‘Why are you talking to my wife, talking like that. You are very beautiful’.
Ms Ettienne said Gould then stood up and wrapped her arms around him, kissing a male flight attendant on the right cheek as she did so, then biting his ear.
The prosecutor said: ‘The defendant’s escalating behavior was frightening and became a serious security issue.’
Photograph of Gould outside Isleworth Crown Court
Gould eventually fell asleep but was arrested at Heathrow when the Boeing 777-200 twinjet landed.
In an attempt to explain his actions, Gould claimed that the combination of wine and vodka ‘driven him crazy’.
Defending him, Manny Arora said his client suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and was “regretful”.
He told the court: ‘He accepts he drank some vodka. However, he was not drunk when he entered the plane.’
Gould, from Woking, Surrey, was wearing jeans and a puffer jacket in court this morning.
He had previously admitted being drunk on the plane, sexually assaulting a man, being assaulted twice by beating, and behaving recklessly in a way that endangered the plane.
Gould was granted unconditional bail ahead of sentencing on February 11.
He is the former director of a business management consulting firm called Blacklight Management, which he ran with his wife, according to Companies House documents.
