British men face jail after throwing peanuts at cabin crew

Two British men have been fined £2,000 and could face jail if they can't pay it after threatening crew members on a Thomson Airways flight.

Jamie Richardson, 38, from Lancing, and Daniel Taylor, 37, from Worthing, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour on a flight to Cancun, Mexico, in early April.

The Bermudian court heard how the pair, who appeared intoxicated when they boarded the flight at Gatwick, were seated apart and kept moving around and shouting.

Richardson at one point wanted to buy peanuts from a flight attendant, and Taylor threw his wallet across the cabin to him.

When Richardson threw it back, it hit a passenger on the head. When they were told this was unacceptable behaviour, Taylor threw peanuts and a pound coin at the flight attendant's head.

The flight then diverted to Bermuda where the pair were arrested.

Richardson and Taylor both told the court they had taken sleeping pills and alcohol, which led to the behaviour.

According to the Worthing Herald, Taylor describes it as "the most embarrassing day of my life".

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo fined both men $3,000 (around £2000) with four months in prison if they did not pay.

The Jamaica Observer reports that the pair's attorney Alexandra Wheatley asked the magistrate to reconsider the amount because the defendants instructed her that they had only about US$700 in cash between them.

But the magistrate refused the request, saying: "This kind of behaviour is not acceptable."