Prison for man who triggered aircraft bomb alert

James Glen, 38, who was born in Ayr, Ayrshire, was told by a judge at Chelmsford Crown Court in Essex that he had caused a “serious threat” and subjected passengers to “gross” inconvenience.

Glen admitted “communicating information about a bomb hoax” on a flight with Etihad Airways – the national airline of the United Arab Emirates – heading from Abu Dhabi to Heathrow carrying 163 passengers and 15 crew on January 24.

Prosecutors said the alarm was raised and two military jets scrambled after Glen, who had been drinking whisky and beer, told a flight attendant that another passenger had a gun and had threatened to blow himself up.

RAF Typhoons were called in to accompany the plane, which was re-directed to Stansted, near Chelmsford.

The plane was flying on the day that 35 people, including British businessman Gordon Cousland, died in a suicide bomb attack at Moscow’s busiest airport.

Glen had been living in Australia for 18 years and was returning to the UK to start a job as a panel beater and car sprayer in Chard, Somerset.

Mark Lakin, prosecuting, said flight attendants noticed that Glen, who had been living in Melbourne, had drunk a “couple” of whiskies and beer and were “concerned” about him.

He said attendants “deliberately delayed” Glen’s requests for more alcohol.

Duncan Penny, in mitigation, said Glen, who began his journey in Melbourne, had “consumed alcohol” and taken an anti-histamine drug.

Mr Penny said Glen was on his first flight for 20 years, had expressed a fear of flying and was tired.

Mr Penny said Glen was of good character, had been returning to start a new life in the UK, and his “idiotic” behaviour was “entirely out of character”.

Judge Charles Gratwicke said any air traveller guilty of such behaviour could expect a substantial jail sentence.