AN IRISH lawyer who was filmed spitting and directing racist abuse towards flight attendants after being refused alcohol on an Air India flight has been charged with assault.
50-year-old Simone Burns from Belfast launched into an expletive laden tirade against staff after they refused to serve her more wine on a flight from India to London.
Burns, who also uses the surname O’Broin, had already been served three bottles of wine during the flight back on November 11th, 2018 when the incident occurred.
In the video, which subsequently went viral online, Burns can be heard to declare “I’m a f***ing international lawyer” before lashing out at flight staff, calling them “Indian money-grabbing c***s”.
“I’ve done so much for you f***ing Indians and f***ing Pakistanis, you should be grateful to me” she is later heard to say.
Burns also smoked cigarettes in the plane’s onboard toilet facilities.
Later in the flight, a cabin supervisor attempted to intervene but was told to “f*** off” and assaulted by Burns.
Arrested upon arrival in London, Burns was charged with assault with a court today hearing details of her angry reaction to being denied alcohol.
Prosecutor Lauren Smith said: “Ms Burns was right in her face and she felt scared. When she refused to give Ms Burns more alcohol Ms Burns spat in her face.”
Burns, from First Avenue, Hove, England pled guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and assault by beating. She is due to be sentenced on April 4th.
