Samantha Fox threatened to knock a police officer’s teeth out after a drunken incident on a British Airways plane, a court has heard.
The alleged incident stopped the London to Hamburg flight from taking off last December.
The former Page 3 model told PC Ashley Smith “I know where you Iive”, Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court heard.
Fox, 58, had previously pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly at Heathrow Airport on 3 December 2023.
She also admitted using threatening behaviour, causing harassment, alarm or distress to a police constable.
Sentencing Fox on Monday, district judge Tan Ikram handed down a 12-month community order, including a £1,000 fine and up to 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Mr Ikram told Fox she had caused a “great inconvenience” for the airline and its passengers.
Fox appeared in court wearing a white shirt and trousers. She had been due to stand trial after denying assaulting her wife Linda Olsen during the alleged incident.
But the charge was dropped after it was understood changes to the evidence meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.
Flight staff were made aware the former glamour model was “having an argument and being rude towards the gate staff” at 7pm, prosecutor Julianna Belinfante said.
She was also seen “walking and behaving strangely and was slurring her words, and staff could smell alcohol on her”.
She then started “behaving in a confrontational manner” towards her wife and after Fox began “rocking back and forth in her chair, headbutting the seat in front of her,” the plane was returned to the gate, the court heard.
‘Verbally abusive’
Police were called to remove the pop singer and former Celebrity Big Brother housemate from the aircraft and an officer said it was “clear to him that she was drunk”.
Fox was described by officers as “rude and argumentative” and became “verbally abusive” towards them as she was escorted out of the airport, according to Ms Belinfante.
Fox told PC Smith “I know where you live, I’ll knock your teeth out”, the court heard.
She also walked towards the officer, who “pushed her back” and she continued “being abusive to the officer”, lunging at him with her arm and kicking her leg towards him.
Fox also told the officer “I know… where your kids live, get me a lawyer” during a spree of “relentless and often vile” abuse that lasted until around 1.30am, it was alleged.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Tap here
Read more on Sky News:
US Open star apologises to ball girl
Dawson’s Creek star dies aged 51
In his witness statement, PC Smith, an officer of 10 years, said: “The sustained level of abuse I was subjected to over a period well exceeding two hours was definitely the most long and most disgusting I have been subjected to.”
While in custody, the former model mentioned the flight was to a “charity event” in Germany and apologised for the incident, the court was told.
‘She shouldn’t have taken any flights’
The flight, which was carrying 162 adults and four children, was delayed by 12 hours until 7.30am the next day, the court also heard.
British Airways said it had lost £1,718.09p after 42 passengers claimed compensation.
The judge also ordered Fox to pay that amount, £100 to PC Smith, £85 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
Ms Belinfante noted Fox “suffers from depression and ADHD and said at the end of the interview she was shocked and apologised for the plane turning back”.
Alastair Smith, defending, told the court Fox bought two drinks at the airport to “calm her nerves,” and added: “She shouldn’t have taken any flights as she was not in a fit state to do so.
“She should have cancelled her commitments, but it is not in her character to do so. She felt stressed and panicked – and she accepts she felt restless in her seat and was upset.”
Source : Sky News
