A DRUNKEN couple whose sexual antics forced a plane to divert to Bermuda two years ago pleaded guilty to charges of air rage in a British court this week.Trevor Blake and Nicola Fitzgerald made headlines as a result of the incident, described in at least one UK newspaper as a case of “sex rage”. The Sun detailed their shame, asking members of the public to name them.

The incident began with the pair drinking heavily during a ten-hour flight on December 5, 2005 from London’s Gatwick Airport to Kingston, Jamaica, where they intended to enjoy a two-week holiday. Passionate sounds in one of the Boeing 777 toilets alerted airline staff, who ordered the pair out.

Said one passenger: “They were asked politely to return to their seats but went ballistic. They were shouting vile abuse and spitting at staff. The captain tried to calm them down but they were just as abusive to him.”

The plane was diverted — at a cost of $34,000 — to Bermuda where the couple were held for two days and then placed on a return flight to England.

Blake, 44, pleaded guilty to affray and Fitzgerald, 27, to drunkenness. Both had previously denied the charges although they admitted to a UK newspaper that they had had sex twice in the aircraft’s toilets. According to the Daily Telegrap>, prosecutor Danny Robinson told the court: “The genesis of the difficulty on the plane arose over the pair being refused drinks.

“Some bottles of wine had been given to both defendants. However, the air crew declined to give further drinks because Mr. Blake became rather loud.”

The case was adjourned for sentencing on June 8. Although drunkenness aboard an aircraft carries a maximum jail sentence of two years, Fitzgerald was told she would not receive a prison sentence. Blake, however, was not as fortunate.

“Have no doubts that one of the considerations will be an immediate custodial sentence because this is a matter which is certainly serious on any standards,” court recorder Christopher Morris-Coole warned him.