A woman has been jailed over a drunken four-hour rampage on a holiday jet after she asked male passengers to join her in the ''mile high club'' as the plane cruised at 30,000 feet.

Demi Burton, 20, had already shocked two men by making crude comments about them having mid air sex during an eight hour flight whilst she was intoxicated on red wine.

But when she was refused any more alcohol, Burton, from Carrington, Trafford, shouted: ''You may as well just land the plane now then!'’ before angrily raising her fists at cabin crew and going berserk as 259 passengers looked on.

Staff on the Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi to Manchester tried to calm Burton down only for her to headbutt, maul and and kick out at them during a violent struggle.

It took six crew members and passengers to restrain her and she was arrested when the plane touched down after a nightmare 4,500 mile journey.

A consultant anaesthetist travelling on the flight who was bitten on the elbow and headbutted as he helped restrain Burton claimed it was worse than working in A&E.

One stewardess was bitten on the forearm was headbutted around the chin. Other passengers were kicked in the ribs and face and head butted in the cheek which left bruising.

(Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

Air stewardess Fouzia Naim said in a statement: “It was a stressful situation but whilst I managed to remain calm and professional, it's not acceptable for crew members to be treated this way and not fair on the other passengers to witness things like this.

"As a result of her being verbally abusive towards me and assaulting, I couldn’t eat or drink anything whilst the flight was ongoing.''

Burton had been travelling home from a three-month trip to Australia where she had been visiting family. She claimed she had been drinking as she had a fear of flying.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, she was jailed for six months after she admitted being drunk on an aircraft and five charges of assault. The incident began on May 9 shortly after flight EY21 had taken off from the United Arab Emirates.

Prosecuting Miss Claire Brocklebank, said: “It appears she was drunk before getting on the flight and she started making a number of inappropriate sexual comments to a number of male passengers on the flight.

“Two in particular remember hearing comments and at first they laughed it off but it then became more and more increasingly inappropriate and she asked them to join the mile-high club.

"Both tried to end conversation with her but she carried on. One said he felt quite shocked by her comments and people around her started to ask her to be quiet as others could hear.

''She shouted to one 'shut up, you specky four eyed bas...d' and other abusive comments and swore at other passengers. One passenger who was a doctor had his children with him and it was very distressing and inappropriate. He spoke to one of the crew members and asked her to consider not serving anymore alcohol to this defendant.

(Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

“The defendant then approached and asked for two red wines and she was refused. But she approached another crew member who hadn’t received the message and so she was given the wine.

"Ten minutes later was asking for more and was shouting and the decision was made it would not be appropriate to allow this particular passenger anymore alcohol.

“She again approached and asked them directly for alcohol and said that she hadn’t drunk anything only needed it otherwise would suffer panic attacks. But when she was informed about the decision, she started demanding to speak to the pilot and said ‘you may as well just land the plane now then.’

“Attempts where made to calm her down but she got up from her seat and in the direction of one of the crew members raised her fists towards her in a threatening manner. The decision was made here to physically restrain her but they had to be assisted by as many as six passengers to help restrain her by holding her down.

“A number of passengers where moved to other seats and throughout the time they were trying to restrain her, the defendant was struggling, shouting and screaming and it was only after several minutes that it was possible to place the plastic restraints on her wrists to her seat. Throughout she was kicking and struggling and at one point kicked out hitting the TV.

(Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

“She was head butting and trying to bite other passengers that had restrained her and accused other passengers of being racist. One person recalls hearing her call the cabin manager names. She carried on being difficult and abusive for a number of hours - some say up to four hours - until she tired herself out.

''Another passenger who happened to be a prison warden had a word and it seemed to have an effect on calming her down.''

Burton initially denied any wrongdoing.

Defence lawyer, Martin Callery, said: “She is thoroughly ashamed of herself and because she is remorseful, she is utterly embarrassed at the way she behaved. It is completely out of character as far as she is concerned.

“She went to Australia to get away from her family who have behaved towards her from her early years in a very controlling and very abusive way.

"She thought it was right to fly back but was apprehensive about the arrival home and apprehensive about flying itself and had more to drink then was appropriate.

“In England and Wales about 83,000 people are in prison - we send more people to prison in England and Wales then any other country in Europe and approximately 50% of people incarcerated are serving sentences that can be measured in months of six to 12 months. This is a case where she need not be sent immediately to prison.

“She is 20 years old and you only need imagine the trepidation and feelings at the prospect of going to prison.''

But sentencing Burton, Judge John Edwards said: “Good order on any flight - in particular a long distance one - is essential and those who undermine that put that at risk by behaving in such crass way. I’m afraid you have to be dealt with in a way that might deter others.

“Whilst you didn’t do anything actively to endanger the aircraft it was in the air at the time, a person behaving in that manner would have at the very least created the possibility of endangerment of the plane for its 259 passengers including, young families.

“Your behaviour was unpleasant, violent and persistent over a lengthy period. So that a doctor, an anaesthetist by profession remarks in all his dealings in A&E had not witnessed such aggressive behaviour before. The matter is too serious to be dealt in any other way other than immediate custody.''

Get breaking news first on the free Manchester Evening News app - download it here for your Apple or Android device. You can also get a round-up of the biggest stories sent direct to your inbox every day with the MEN email newsletter - subscribe here. And you can follow us on Facebook here.