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| © Provided by Associated Newspapers Limited Patricia Casey, 51, of Camberley, Surrey, downed eight shots of the spirit while working aboard a BA Boeing 787 flight from Singapore. But a passenger smelt alcohol on her breath and the divorced mum-of-two… |
By Keiligh Baker, Daily Mail
A British Airways air hostess was more than ten times over the alcohol limit after drinking of bottles vodka miniatures while working on a long-haul flight.
Patricia Casey, 51, of Camberley, Surrey, downed eight shots of the spirit while working aboard a BA Boeing 787 flight from Singapore.
But a passenger smelt alcohol on her breath and the divorced mother-of-two was arrested at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 when it touched down on February 21.
Initially she lied to police that she had drank while on duty but then admitted she had been 'silly' in having the sneaky drinks.
Tests two hours later showed she had 201mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood - ten times over the legal limit of 20mg allowed for air crews.
At Uxbridge Magistrates' Court she admitted drinking while on duty ending an 'unblemished' 21-year career as a flight attendant.
The softly spoken defendant cried as the court heard she had been self-medicating with alcohol while divorcing her husband of 18 years.
Jasper Kaur, prosecuting, said: 'At 3.27pm officers were patrolling Heathrow Airport when they were requested to attend British Airways Crew Reporting Centre in Terminal 5.
'At this location a member of the cabin crew had been stopped following her flight. Whilst on board a passenger had complained that alcohol could be smelt on that crew member.'
He told the court the flight's Cabin Services Manager spoke to Casey on the flight after being alerted to the complaint.
Ms Kaur added Casey claimed 'she had not had any food or drink' on board the flight.
But once removed to a private room in the terminal Casey admitting guzzling the vodka to police.
Ms Kaur said: 'She then informed one of the officers that she had been very silly and it was her fault and she had drank four Vodka miniatures on duty during the course of the flight.
She was then cautioned and at a police station blew 81mg per 100ml of breath two hours later - over twice the drink drive limit of 35mg per 100ml.
A blood sample was taken and Ms Kaur added it had '201 micrograms per 100ml of blood and the legal limit is 20micrograms, as a result she is now before the courts'.
Shan Yaqub, in mitigation for Casey, said: 'She was reported by one of the passengers however there's no suggestion this affected her behaviour.
'It's simply the case someone had smelt alcohol in her breath and reported her to a member of the crew.
'She is suspended from work, of course following this conviction she will be permanently losing her job.
'She won't be able to work in the industry where she has worked in the last 21 years.
'She has been a flight attendant for over 21 years, she has an unblemished record, she has never had any issues in the past for her behaviour.
'She was going through a messy divorce at the time, she has been in a relationship for 18 years, she has had two children with her partner.
'She decided to self medicate and was drinking more than she should have and on this occasion drank at work. She tells me she is not drinking alcohol now.'
Casey was fined £300 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge.
She was convicted of one count of performing an aviation function while impaired by drink under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003.
