A drunken couple whose violent and abusive behaviour on a plane caused a flight to the Dominican Republic to divert to Bermuda this month have been fined more than $4,000.

Ian Claxton, 35, and Aimee Walker, 27, both from Britain, pleaded guilty to verbally abusing a crew member aboard the TUI flight from Birmingham on August 1, being drunk during the journey and ignoring staff instructions when they appeared in Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Claxton, whose daughter was also on the flight, also admitted to headbutting a man, assaulting two other people, verbally abusing another person and refusing to give his passport to crew members.

After arriving on the island, Walker was taken to Hamilton Police Station and Claxton, who was seen foaming at the mouth, had to be sedated to be properly examined by emergency medical technicians.

Prosecutor Adley Duncan told the court that the diversion to the island cost the airline, which officially banned the pair from flying with it or its affiliates again, £184,000.

Mr Duncan suggested that Walker, who has been remanded at the island’s co-ed correctional facility since Monday, be sentenced to pay fines, as well as time served behind bars, for her role in the incident.

Mr Duncan highlighted that Claxton continued to kick and swear at people on the flight even after being restrained but also acknowledged that he had alcohol, cocaine and cannabis in his system when the incident occurred.

He requested that Claxton spend time behind bars for the headbutt, which resulted in a gash to the man’s eyebrow, as well as the assaults, and be fined for all other offences.

Both defendants apologised for their actions before being sentenced.

Senior magistrate Maxanne Anderson sentenced the pair to pay more than $4,000 in fines, as well as to time already served in custody and recommended they be deported to Britain.

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