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A MUM got so drunk on a plane to Egypt she “went crazy” - punching a flight attendant, biting a fellow passenger and threatening to “rip the head off” cabin crew.

Bernadette Briggs of St Andrews Road, St Helens lashed out during the landing of a Thomas Cook flight from Manchester to Egypt, leaving her fellow passengers and crew traumatised.

The 39-year-old, a senior staff member at a residential boys’ school, had bought a bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin on board the flight.

Manchester Magistrates Court heard how after the episode, crew found a ‘nearly empty’ gin bottle under her seat, reports the Mancheste Evening News .

Appearing before the court, a tearful Briggs pleaded guilty o being drunk on board an aircraft, assaulting a cabin crew and a passenger, as well as behaving in a threatening manner to air crew.

Alan Bakker, prosecuting, told the court how Briggs was travelling with her sister on June 23, when just 10 minutes before landing she stood up and started to shout and swear at fellow passengers.

After cabin crew and other passengers told her to sit down, she responded by swearing at them while ‘swaying about and slurring her words.’

At one point, she threatened to ‘rip the f***ing head off’ a crew member as the plan landed - causing a senior staff member to step-in to try and calm her down.

Briggs then attacked crew member Madison Priest from behind, punching her in the shoulder and forcing her to fall into passengers across the aisle.

(Image: Manchester evening news)

She then went ‘completely crazy’ - shouting, swearing and violently swinging her arms.

When passenger Noel Johnson - who was on a ‘second honeymoon’ with his wife - attempted to restrain her in an arm lock, he was bitten and scratched by Briggs.

The captain of the aircraft then arrived at the scene, where he ‘smelt alcohol’ and saw Briggs punching the air and kicking her legs while in an arm lock.

Ground crew arrived to help and police were also called, before Briggs was sent to hospital where she spent 24 hours.

Her behaviour delayed the aircraft and cost the airline as a result.

(Image: Manchester evening news)

In a victim statement, cabin crew Madison Priest said the experience was the ‘most disturbing’ she’d seen and had made her question her career. She was left bruised by the assault - and was unable to perform on a subsequent flight to Cuba because she was ‘on edge’.

Briggs, worked previously at a secure unit looking after troubled teenagers. She is now booked in for counselling.

Passenger Noel Johnson said the first days of his holiday - a ‘second honeymoon following a period of illness’ - were ruined. He said he’d had to step in to help cabin crew who seemed ‘inexperienced’ to deal with the level of aggression and violence, adding: “I wish to see this woman prosecuted for my injuries.”

Thomas Cook banned Briggs from her return flight, the court heard.

(Image: Manchester evening news)

Defending, David Abbott told the court Briggs had suffered a ‘psychotic episode’ from combining medication and ‘too much to drink’.

Describing the incident as ‘unpleasant and troubling’, he added: “The bulk of the poor behaviour took place when the aircraft was on the ground.”

He said there was no suggestion that Briggs, who he described as ashamed, remorseful and apologetic, had endangered the aircraft.

Branding the case ‘extremely serious’ magistrates deemed their powers insufficient and adjourned for sentencing at crown court.