The 39-year-old man, who caused an emergency landing of an aircraft at Macedonia International Airport when, in an apparent state of intoxication, according to police, he displayed aggressive behaviour during a flight from Manchester to Antalya, was sentenced to a total of eight months in prison, suspended for three years, by the Autonomous Single-Member Plenary Court of Thessaloniki.
During the preliminary hearing the accused, a UK national of Pakistani origin, reportedly admitted that he had consumed alcohol. However, pleading before the court, he retracted that admission, claiming, through an interpreter, that he was not drunk and that he was merely “talking loudly”.
According to a statement from the National Police, the captain of the aircraft made the emergency landing late Tuesday night. Police were informed of his behaviour and after the landing, officers of the Police Department of the Thessaloniki Airport Police Directorate were called to the aircraft and arrested him. After the arrest procedure was completed, the aircraft continued its normal course to its destination.
