Furious Outburst: ‘F*** Off You Little Rats, Of Course I’m Going on Holiday
A businessman was forcefully removed from a Jet2 flight to Turkey amidst cheers from fellow passengers after he embarked on a drunken rampage, leaving everyone stunned and alarmed. The incident occurred as the flight began taxiing to the runway at Manchester Airport on Thursday, January 23. Police were called to address Lewis Howarth’s highly intoxicated and abusive behavior, which led to the plane being diverted back to Terminal 1.
According to court reports, Howarth, a successful installer from Bolton, became increasingly disruptive during the flight. He was abusive to staff, repeatedly stood up during the safety briefing, and insulted a stewardess by calling her a “d***head” when asked to fasten his seatbelt. Cabin crew members described him as “highly intoxicated” and noted that he was swearing at other passengers as well, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.
When officers boarded the plane to escort Howarth off, he initially appeared compliant. However, his demeanor quickly changed, escalating the situation into chaos. Prosecutor Saul Brody testified, “He started to resist and tried to fight or assault those escorting him. He was taken to the floor and handcuffed, and was described as thrashing his head towards the passengers and officers. He was restrained on the floor of the aisle, and once outside he continued shouting abuse towards the officers.”
Bodycam footage presented in court revealed hundreds of passengers applauding and cheering as Howarth was removed from the plane. Despite being escorted, Howarth continued to verbally abuse the officers. At one point, an officer confronted him, saying, “You were bang out of order, there were so many kids on there.” In response, Howarth slurred, “My kids are there… you are f*** wrong,” followed by, “Nah f off you little rats. Do you [really think] I’m not going to go on holiday?”
When informed that he was being arrested for being drunk on a plane, Howarth laughed and shouted, “No I’m not, you little rat, you f*** dheads, rat bs!” Despite efforts by Jet2 staff to calm him, including bringing a wheelchair to escort him, Howarth continued his aggressive behavior by attempting to bite an officer and kicking out at another.
He was subsequently arrested and shown the footage of his actions. Howarth admitted to consuming half a bottle of whisky before the flight. The court heard that he has previous convictions for being drunk and disorderly, affray, racially aggravated harassment, assaulting a police officer, and failing to comply with court orders.
His barrister, William Staunton, explained that Howarth was traveling with his family and a friend’s family when peer pressure led him to drink due to nervousness about flying. Staunton stated, “He had the hangover of all hangovers. He is profoundly ashamed and deeply remorseful. He wants to say sorry and this won’t happen again.” He further emphasized Howarth’s positive contributions to the community, noting, “He is an asset to the community.”
Recorder Geoffrey Wells sentenced Howarth to 14 weeks in jail, condemning his actions as “shocking” and “wholly disgraceful.” He criticized Howarth’s attempt to blame peer pressure, stating, “‘Peer pressure?’ What nonsense!” and highlighted the negative example Howarth set for his children, saying, “Your children saw you behaving like that. What kind of example is that?”
This incident underscores the severe consequences of alcohol-fueled behavior and the importance of maintaining decorum, especially in confined and public settings like airplanes. As Howarth begins his sentence, his actions serve as a cautionary tale about the repercussions of irresponsible conduct.