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A lawyer has has been jailed after she spat at cabin crew during a racist rant on a flight from India to London.

Simone Burns, 50, known as Simone O'Broin, was initially served three bottles of wine but declared "I'm a f****** international lawyer" when she was denied more on Air India flight AI131 from Mumbai on November 11.

She also called staff "Indian money-grabbing c****" and smoked a cigarette in the toilets during the tirade which left other passengers "shocked".

Burns, of Hove, pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and assault by beating at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court last month.

The lawyer, who is Irish, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court today after magistrates said the offence was too serious for them to deal with.

She sat quietly in the dock as she was sentenced to six months for being drunk on an aircraft and two months for assault, both of which will be served concurrently.

(Image: PA) (Image: PA)

Prosecuting at her previous court appearance, Lauren Smith had said the nine-hour flight took off at 4.10am as Burns sat in business class with 17 other passengers.

She was given three bottles of wine with breakfast "immediately after takeoff" but began to complain when she was refused more.

Miss Smith said: "She got up from her seat and began swearing and shouting. She was shouting that she was a 'f****** international lawyer' and telling them to 'f*** off'."

She also shouted: "You f****** arses, you f******* Indian money-grabbing c*****"

Burns then went into the toilet to try to light a cigarette before she was given a verbal warning three hours into the flight, the court heard.

(Image: PA) (Image: Twitter)

Miss Smith said: "Her behaviour continued. She was then given a written warning by the captain. This also made no difference to Miss Burns' behaviour."

Her tirade continued further into the flight as she got up from her seat and marched to the area where alcohol was being served to again demand more, the court heard.

She shouted: "I have done so much for you f****** Indians and f****** Pakistanis, you should be grateful to me."

A cabin supervisor, Dastur Pervin, tried to intervene but she was also told to "f*** off", shown the middle finger and assaulted, Miss Smith said.

(Image: Twitter)

She added: "Miss Burns was right in her face and she felt scared and when she refused to give Miss Burns more alcohol Miss Burns spat in her face."

Burns also "grabbed her by her right upper arm and squeezed it" before going on to abuse other crew members and passengers.

After touchdown at Heathrow she was arrested in London by officers from the Metropolitan Police.

Judge Nicholas Wood said: “This was a prolonged series of events while the aircraft was in the air - an offence of this type is more serious than when the aircraft is on the ground.

“Those who become drunk on an aircraft and behave in such as way must expect a custodial sentence.

“The experience of a drunk unrepentant irrational person in the confines of an aircraft is frightening, not least on a long-haul flight and poses a risk to safety.

He said that although the aircraft was not at risk by Burns’ behaviour, he said that for luckless passengers “there is no escape at 30,000 feet”.

(Image: Twitter)

(Image: Twitter)

He said: “To spit in a cabin crew-member’s face at close range is insulting and upsetting.

“Another member of staff said in his 34 years of work he had never been treated that way by a woman.

“For the passengers on that Air India flight it must have been very upsetting, especially with the language you used.”

The judge noted that "such offences are often committed by people of impeccable character.

But he added: “The fact remains you were abusive, contemptuous, confrontational and used appalling language.

“You tried to smoke in the toilets I believe three occasions and were successful at least once.

“In my view there can only be a custodial sentence.”

She was also also ordered to pay £300 compensation to Ms Pervin.