A drunken businessman who endangered a flight and caused part of an airport to be evacuated said last night he was “mortified” by the behaviour which almost cost him a jail sentence.
Graham Leonard was onboard a chartered aircraft flying from Manchester to Aberdeen when he took over the plane’s public address system to sing football songs before throwing a hot towel at a stewardess.
After the plane landed, the 46-year-old then set off a fire alarm inside Aberdeen International Airport.
About 60 people had to be evacuated from part of the building.
Two fire engines were sent to the scene as a precaution and emergency services closed off a road while an investigation was launched.
Yesterday, Leonard, who is the boss of Bridge of Don-based BOD Decorating, was spared jail after a sheriff decided a custodial sentence would have a devastating impact on his 14 employees.
Instead, he was fined £1,000 and ordered to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work.
Speaking outside court, Leonard said he was “mortified” by his actions and “deeply sorry for the embarrassment” he had caused his friends, family and employees.
He said: “I am just mortified by the whole thing. I am deeply sorry for any embarrassment I have caused my friends, family and colleagues. I really just want to put the matter behind me now and move on.”
When the businessman first appeared in court last month fiscal depute Karen Dow said Leonard was part of a group of Manchester United fans who had chartered an Eastern Airways flight to watch their team’s 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
The court heard the group had downed gin and tonic and beer at Aberdeen International Airport, before travelling south for the game at Old Trafford on March 15.
After the match they went to a corporate event, where they met former players.
Ms Dow told the court that on the 9.17pm flight back to Aberdeen, Leonard, of West House Meddens, Newmachar, began to behave in a way that was “particularly frustrating” for the cabin crew.
He approached a stewardess and asked if he could sing on the flight’s PA system and, when she refused, he took the microphone and started belting out football songs.
He then threw a hot towel at her.
After the flight landed in Aberdeen, a witness saw one of the group speaking into an airport PA system, before Leonard set off the fire alarm.
When he first appeared in court Sheriff Edward Savage told Leonard the offences were “very serious matters” which could ultimately result in a prison sentence.
But yesterday the businessman’s agent, solicitor Gregor Kelly, was able to convince the sheriff not to jail him.
He said Leonard employed 14 people and he himself was relied upon to bring the business in.
Mr Kelly said that if he was sent to prison there would most likely be job losses in his company.
The court heard he had very little recollection of the event and was ashamed and embarrassed that he had been responsible for the call out of the emergency services when they were not needed.
Sheriff Savage said Leonard’s behaviour on the day was “appalling” and said the offences had to be treated seriously.
However, he acknowledged that until the incident he had been a “decent member of society”.
The sheriff said: “I specifically wanted to know what effect a custodial sentence would have on your business.
“The ramifications of your actions affects others and you are an embarrassment to your employees.
“However, you are otherwise a decent member of society and therefore a custodial sentence is not the only option available to me.”