A man who broke an override door entry panel at Ronaldsway airport so that he could board a flight after the gate had closed has been fined £700.

Robert Colin Maxwell, of Claragh Road, in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, missed the last call for his easyJet flight to Belfast International as he was in the toilets.

He then broke through two closed security doors to get to the plane.

The 53-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of property damage as well as one of failing to comply with airport byelaws when he appeared in court on Tuesday.

Magistrates also ordered him to pay £50 compensation for the damage to the override panels.

Prosecuting advocate Rebecca Cubbon told the court that Maxwell was due to travel from Ronaldsway to Northern Ireland on Monday, March 2 on the 7.50am easyJet flight.

He was said to have gone through security and then went to the toilet in the departures lounge.

Boarding for his flight was called but by the time he arrived at gate four he found the door was locked and unattended. Maxwell broke the override panel which allowed him to access an emergency button and open the door.

He then found himself in an empty room where he broke a second panel and pressed another button which allowed him access to the airport apron.

He walked up the steps to the plane and boarded, only to be stopped by staff.

The damaged panels were discovered and police were called.

Maxwell was arrested and when interviewed said the gravity of what he had done had not sunk in until he had been asked to leave the plane.

Defence advocate Dawn Jones referred to photos of the broken panels saying that it was debatable as to whether the covering could be called glass as it was thinner and more like laminate.

Ms Jones said that the panels had not been smashed but the £50 compensation was more to cover labour costs.

The court heard that Maxwell took a little longer to get through to security due to having metal plates in his body after an accident while in the Army. He had also lost an arm.

’He did hear his name called and moved as quickly as he possibly could,’ said the advocate.

’He went to the wrong gate, gate five and was trying to find someone to assist him. He thought when he went through the first door he would be met by a queue of people filtering through.

’He could see the plane with the steps down.’

Ms Jones went on to say that Maxwell worked with a charity in the island which involved him travelling back and forth monthly.

Magistrates also ordered him to pay £125 prosecution costs.