A university law tutor who was thrown off a flight at Heathrow after refusing to fasten her seatbelt was so drunk she thought she was in Canada.

Meghna Kumar, 30, downed vodkas before hurling abuse at cabin crew as the flight prepared to take off for Montreal.

The captain was so alarmed by her behaviour that he turned the plane around on the runway and returned to the departure gate.

Meghna Kumar, 30, downed vodkas before hurling abuse at cabin crew as the flight prepared to take off for Montreal

When police boarded the flight, the academic, pictured, who is shortly due to join Durham University as a law tutor, had fallen asleep in her seat.

She thought she had slept through the seven-hour flight and assumed the plane had landed in Canada.

The humanitarian law expert, who lives in a £1million apartment in Kensington, west London, was on her way to teach students at McGill University when she was arrested on April 9.

Now Kumar has been banned from flying with British Airways for two years and told to pay £4,500 after admitting drunkenly entering an aircraft at Isleworth Crown Court.

When police boarded the flight, the academic, pictured, who is shortly due to join Durham University as a law tutor, had fallen asleep in her seat

Prosecutor James O’Connell said Kumar had been drinking at one of the airport bars before the flight.

When she stumbled on board, Kumar said to a stewardess: ‘I did not say anything to you, f*** off.’ Mr O’Connell said: ‘It was apparent that she appeared to be under the influence. She sat down and her seatbelt was not fitted, and she was asked to fit the safety belt and immediately became abusive. She started shouting and swearing and said, “I cannot f****** believe you’re asking me to stand up”.’

Mr O’Connell said cabin crew and the captain agreed to make the ‘rare decision’ to turn the aircraft back. As the plane returned to the gate, Kumar nodded off in her seat. The prosecutor added: ‘She thought she had got to Canada.’

Kumar claimed she had only had two vodkas. But on Tuesday she admitted drunkenly entering an aircraft and was fined £3,750 and ordered to pay £750 costs.

Her CV boasts of experience working for various organs of United Nations International Criminal Tribunals in The Hague and the international arbitration department of a major law firm in London.

Defending, Gareth Weetman said it was ‘an absolutely tragic case’, saying Kumar had been battling depression and anxiety for a decade.

Judge Robin Johnson told her: ‘A lot of people are nervous in aeroplanes and people who are drunk and disorderly cause that kind of anxiety to be greatly increased. Secondly, a great deal of inconvenience was met by many, many people, as well as the undoubted cost to the airline. Your behaviour was disgraceful.’

A Durham University spokesman said: ‘The university does not comment on individual cases.’