A British Airways pilot was hauled out of the cockpit by armed police after a flight technician called 999 as the aircraft was being prepared for takeoff.

Julian Monaghan, 49, was arrested amid dramatic scenes on board the 300-passenger plane at around 8pm at Gatwick Airport in January.

The 12-hour flight to Mauritius was minutes from departing when police were called because cabin crew could smell alcohol on the pilot's breath.

Emelyn Jones, defending, said his client had a vodka and coke at 10.30am, claiming the pilot had drunk in an attempt to send him to sleep before the evening flight.

But Monaghan, a long-serving British Airways first officer, was allegedly still drunk when he stepped into the cockpit.