Virgin Atlantic passenger rained punches and headbutts down on her boyfriend after downing 16 cans of wine is jailed

An airline passenger who beat his partner with fists and headbutts after drinking 16 boxes of wine on the plane has been jailed.

The 59-year-old hairdresser and mother-of-two attacked Steven White on the nine-hour flight from Miami to London Heathrow this year, which was described as a ‘terrifying’ experience for other passengers.

At his trial, it was revealed that the couple got into an argument when Baker turned around and ‘began speaking very loudly and slurring his words to those sitting around him’.

When the other passengers did not respond, Baker told one of them: ‘Fuck you then.’

Prosecutor Thomas Blackburn said that after White tried to calm Baker down, he “was seen attacking his partner by head-butting him, elbowing him several times and punching him.”

Baker, who lives in a £200,000 three-bed house in Lincoln, boasted after passengers tried to intervene: ‘I’ll go back to my big house and you’ll go back to your council houses.’

Baker, wearing a black jacket, black trousers and black high heels, appeared at Isleworth Crown Court today where he was sentenced to three months in prison.

He admitted being drunk on the plane, committing racially aggravated abuse and using threatening or abusive language to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

He denied this but was convicted of assault by beating after a short trial.

Mr Blackburn said that during the flight on February 9, Baker turned around and shouted at other passengers, accusing them of kicking his seat.

The prosecutor said he “began chatting with those sitting around him, talking very loudly and slurring his words.”

The prosecutor added: ‘His partner tried to calm him down and that’s when he got in her face and shouted: ‘What the fuck did you say?’

‘He was then seen attacking his partner by trying to headbutt her, elbowing her several times and punching her.

‘He then raised his arms to protect himself and had to ask cabin crew for help.’

Baker got into the back of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and was told to calm down by flight attendants.

Mr Blackburn said: ‘He was drunk. He then continued shouting. When a passenger told him to shut up he replied: ‘Oh fuck off then.’

Baker then shouted at passenger Jodie Tristram: ‘You’re a stuck-up bitch. Look at this ugly bitch, who does she think she is, Cruella de Ville?’

Mr Baker added: ‘When the plane landed the police came in. The cabin crew stated that he consumed 16 boxes of wine during the flight.

‘The defendant stated that he had ordered the boxes for himself and his partner’s family, but cabin crew noticed that he had kept the boxes for himself.’

Mr Baker said other passengers were ‘horrified’ and Ms Tristam remained ‘seriously distressed’ throughout the nine-hour flight.

He said Baker’s partner claimed at the hearing that he was ‘not attacked’, but the evidence of other passengers contradicted this.

In a victim statement, Ms Tristam said: ’30. I went to Miami to celebrate my birthday.

‘On the way back I had to endure the behavior of a drunk and abusive passenger.

‘As we were about to go back to London he was up and walking around and no one was saying anything.

‘I got fed up with him and told him to stop his behaviour. When he treated me badly, it made me angry and sad.

‘I saw him hit someone, so I was scared. At that moment my anxiety was at its peak.

‘I had another plan to attend a wedding in Dublin to which I had to fly and then I started having flashbacks.

‘I didn’t realize how much this affected me because of the trauma this woman caused me and everyone else on the flight. I was banned from diazepam to control my anxiety.

‘The incident has definitely put me off booking another flight.’

The court heard Baker had previously been of good character.

Defending, Sucheta Rose said: ‘He has known his partner for many years. They have known each other since they were nine years old.

‘There were some problems between Ms Baker and her partner’s father during their holidays.

‘He was drinking on holiday and insulting people. He tried to calm his father-in-law when he boarded the plane.

‘Miss Baker did not enter the plane drunk. He had taken prescription Prozac. He was suffering from depression and anxiety.

‘We are also talking about high altitude.

‘He clearly stated that during the flight his father-in-law pushed his seat and his drink fell on him.

‘He asked her to apologize and she did. This had to be where it ended.

‘His anxiety and frustration increased. He got emotional. Ms Baker said she felt much better when she spoke to the crew member at the back of the plane.

‘She was offered a cup of tea and returned to her seat, but unfortunately her mother-in-law’s condition did not calm down.

‘He then ordered wine and was constantly offered wine during the flight. It was a long flight.

‘The behavior that occurred occurred at the tail end of the flight.

‘He felt trapped inside this plane. He couldn’t escape the argument started by his father-in-law.’

‘He understands what it feels like to be someone else on that plane.

‘He works as a mobile hairdresser and has loyal customers.

‘This case received attention in the national media. The way the media covered this was sensational.

‘Friends and family have read about what happened and there has been huge support from friends and family, which is why there are so many character references.

‘There is nothing but regret in his mind. He is researching cognitive behavioral therapy.

‘The thing he’s most worried about if he goes to prison is who will look after his mother.

‘If he is detained the impact on his family and friends will be huge.

‘A neighbour, a 14-year-old autistic boy, also wrote a character reference for Mrs Baker.’

Passing sentence, Judge Sunaina Kaur Srai-Chohan said: ‘This was a prolonged display of abusive and violent behavior within the confines of an aircraft that put you, other passengers and cabin crew at risk.’

The judge added: ‘There was a deliberate decision on your part to drink alcohol and to drink such a large amount of alcohol.’

Although the judge took into account Baker’s remorse and the fact that he was his mother’s carer, he said only an immediate prison sentence could be justified given the seriousness of the offending.

The judge added: ‘When incidents like this occur the safety of passengers and crew is compromised. The consequences could be disastrous.

‘People are trapped with nowhere to go and penalties should be a deterrent.’

Baker was also ordered to pay £500 in costs.