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A drunk British couple terrified passengers on a Thomas Cook flight to Egypt after downing a bottle of vodka.

James Petford, 39, and Margaret McGuigan, 38, left one passenger so scared she feared they might "punch the glass" out of the aircraft window.

The couple had been drinking before they boarded the plane in May and were then caught swigging duty-free spirits during the five-and-a-half hour flight from Birmingham to Egypt.

Petford soiled himself, was sick all over his seat and became abusive, Birmingham Live reports.

The couple may face jail as the case was today referred from Birmingham Magistrates Court to the city's Crown Court.

"The fact that Mr Petford had to be restrained means it's far too serious," chairwoman of the bench, Anjana Aggarwal, said.

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"It's totally unacceptable behaviour.

"The issue is a temper that needs sorting out."

The court heard McGuigan "struck her partner in the face" during a drunken row on the plane.

Airline crew asked McGuigan, a full-time carer to her mum, to move seats repeatedly but she refused and at one stage shouted she was "not f****** moving."

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Rose Butler, prosecuting, said crew moved Petford, a former railway engineer and manager for HS2, but he "became abusive to staff."

"He was seen to roll a cigarette and light it but it was taken off him by staff and extinguished in a glass of water," the lawyer said.

"Staff saw he had a bottle of Captain Morgan's rum in his bag and then it was noticed that he had soiled himself and had also been sick all over the seat where he had been sitting.

"Despite this he continued to be abusive and he had to be restrained in order to put his seatbelt on to keep him in his seat."

Miss Butler added: "Miss McGuigan continued to swear loudly and staff tried to calm her down. She continually stood up despite the seatbelt sign being on."

The court also heard that on landing the duo had another argument with each other but were separated.

Petford had to be escorted by a security officer as he was struggling to walk due to intoxication.

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Mr Newport, defending, explained to the court that the couple had little recollection of the shocking incident and neither normally drank very much.

"I accept it is a very unpleasant situation. Both were under some stress and had booked a holiday. Both are nervous flyers.

"It is fair to say having consumed a drink before boarding they were very nervous, began drinking from a bottle of vodka and then argued over a passport.

"Mr Petford has said he is very embarrassed and doesn't remember arriving in Egypt. He said 'that's not what I was brought up to do and it must have been frightening for the other passengers'.

"Miss McGuigan said she was very apologetic."

Both defendants, of Kings Norton, Birmingham, admitted being drunk on an aircraft contrary to Article 242 of the Aviation Navigation Order.

They'll be sentenced on December 2.