Porn `triggered 10-hour air rage'

A STEWARD'S request that two passengers switch off their in- flight entertainment - watching hard-core pornographic images on a lap top computer - triggered an air rage incident lasting 10 hours, a court heard yesterday.

One passenger Ian Bottomley, had to be tethered to his seat on the long-haul flight after he tried to head-butt and bite the crew, who he called "all gay and all full of Aids". Despite sedatives, sleeping pills and bourbon which he was given to calm him down, Bottomley only slept for half-an-hour.

Bottomley, 36, a plumber from Witham, Essex, denies endangering the British Airways flight 056 from Johannesburg to London in January this year, affray, assault causing actual bodily harm, and being drunk on board the aircraft.

Michael Stevenson, head of the cabin crew, told Isleworth Crown Court, in west London, that a couple complained about the hard-core pornography being watched so a steward asked for it to be switched off. The request prompted abuse from Bottomley, who jumped out of his seat and lunged at Mr Stevenson with both fists.

Stewards restrained Bottomley in a seat but had to pull out the seat in front of him because he was violently heading-butting them and injuring himself. Five members of the cabin crew tried to control the situation. One suffered bruised ribs and a cracked tooth.

The case continues today.