Two British nationals have been brought to justice after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor for their roles in an airline disturbance that led to a forced landing of a TUI Airways flight.
The defendants, Anthony Joseph James Kirby and Damien Jake Murphy, both 36 years old from Manchester, England, were charged with interference with a flight crew and assault following their behavior on a flight traveling from Cancun, Mexico to Manchester. The incident occurred in U.S. airspace last month on January 2, 2023.
According to court records, the pair became increasingly belligerent after being denied more alcohol service. They retrieved a large bottle of alcohol from their carry-on luggage and continued to consume it. Their behavior escalated, with both men using racial slurs and eventually assaulting a flight attendant and a passenger.
TUI Airways LTD suffered financial losses due to the unscheduled landing in Bangor International Airport (BGR), incurring $26,589 in costs. The investigation revealed that Kirby and Murphy’s actions were responsible for this expense.
Both men face severe penalties, including up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the interference charge. For the assault charges, they could be sentenced to up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, and one year of supervised release. Sentencing will follow the completion of a presentence investigation report.
The FBI, Federal Air Marshal Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Bangor Police Department collaborated to investigate this case. The men are now awaiting sentencing after their guilty pleas.
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Key Facts
- State: Maine
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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