First class Virgin Atlantic passenger spared jail despite drunken attack during flight

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy An airline passenger who shouted “I hope this plane crashes” during a drunken attack on a flight from Barbados to Heathrow has been spared jail. Rachel Street, from south London, “lashed out” at Virgin Atlantic staff and pulled one woman's hair following a “litany of abuse” while travelling back from the Caribbean island on 5 January. She was heard shouting: “I might end up in jail tomorrow, but I don't care.” Street also declared “I hope this plane crashes and we all die”, and said she wanted to “punch” members of the crew – all while the plane was 40,000ft in the air. open image in gallery Rachel Street leaving Ealing Magistrates’ Court in March 2021 “Your behaviour was utterly appalling.” Speaking of the common assault charge, the judge said: “You were drunk, you were 40,000ft above the ground, and it came at the end of an appalling litany of abuse.” In a victim impact statement read to the court by prosecutor Martin Edwards, one member of staff said: “Wishing the aircraft to crash was some of the worst I have experienced.” Another crew member described the incident as “very distressing”, adding: “I was shocked we had to hold her down.” One passenger said she was “scared” because she had her 18-month-old baby on the flight.