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Lawyer spat at flight attendant in drunken racist rant after being denied wine in business class

A lawyer spat at a flight attendant during a racist rant after she was refused alcohol as she flew business class from India to London.

Simone Burns, 50, known as Simone O’Broin, was initially served three bottles of wine but declared “I’m a f** international lawyer” when she was denied more on Air India flight AI131 from Mumbai on November 11 2018.

She also called staff “Indian money-grabbing c****” and smoked a cigarette in the toilets during the tirade which left other passengers “shocked”.

Burns, of First Avenue, Hove, pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and assault by beating at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Lawyer Simone Burns has pleaded guilty to being drunk in an aircraft and assault at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court following an incident on an Air India flight. (SWNS)
Lawyer Simone Burns has pleaded guilty to being drunk in an aircraft and assault at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court following an incident on an Air India flight. (SWNS)

The lawyer, who is Irish, will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on April 4 after magistrates said the offence was too serious for them to deal with.

Chairing the bench, Robert Della-Sala told Burns: “The spitting in the face must have been one of the most awful things that can happen to anybody, given the transmission of diseases.”

Burns appeared in court with a plaster across her nose and wearing a green cardigan and black trousers with heeled boots.

Burns, of First Avenue, Hove, pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and assault by beating at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. (SWNS)
Burns, of First Avenue, Hove, pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and assault by beating at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. (SWNS)

Prosecuting, Lauren Smith said the nine-hour flight took off at 4.10am as Burns sat in business class with 17 other passengers.

She was given three bottles of wine with breakfast “immediately after takeoff” but began to complain when she was refused more.

Miss Smith said: “She got up from her seat and began swearing and shouting. She was shouting that she was a ‘f** international lawyer’ and telling them to ‘f*** off’.”

She also shouted: “You f** arses, you f** Indian money-grabbing c****.”

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Burns then went into the toilet to try to light a cigarette before she was given a verbal warning three hours into the flight, the court heard.

Burns then ranted: “F** Air India is useless, I will say what I want.”

Her tirade continued further into the flight as she got up from her seat and marched to the area where alcohol was being served to again demand more, the court heard.

She shouted: “I have done so much for you f** Indians and f** Pakistanis, you should be grateful to me.”

 Lawyer Simone Burns has pleaded guilty to being drunk in an aircraft and assault at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court following an incident on an Air India flight. (SWNS)
Lawyer Simone Burns has pleaded guilty to being drunk in an aircraft and assault at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court following an incident on an Air India flight. (SWNS)

A cabin supervisor, Dastur Pervin, tried to intervene but she was also told to “f*** off”, shown the middle finger and assaulted, Miss Smith said.

She added: “Miss Burns was right in her face and she felt scared and when she refused to give Miss Burns more alcohol Miss Burns spat in her face.”

After touchdown she was arrested in London by officers from the Metropolitan Police.

Burns was bailed ahead of her sentencing.