A case of air rage at Ronaldsway Airport has cost a passenger a £500 in a fine and a criminal record.

Paul Edward Mark Ewart rowed with a fellow passenger while getting off his flight after arriving on the island.

The 40-year-old swore and told the other man: ‘I’m going to knock your head off. You and me, let’s go now.’

Ewart was initially charged with being drunk and disorderly, which he had denied, but on Tuesday that charge was changed to threatening behaviour which he pleaded guilty to.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that Ewart landed at Ronaldsway on a flight from Liverpool at around 8pm on October 4.

There was initially a disturbance on the plane which then carried on in the airport.

Mr Swain said that Ewart had got into an altercation with another passenger, swore at him and threatened him.

Police were called to the baggage area as the disturbance continued and Ewart, who lives at Bemahague Avenue, Onchan, was subsequently arrested.

During an interview at police headquarters, he said he had been visiting friends in Ireland but had missed his flight back to the Isle of Man.

Ewart said he had then had to fly via Liverpool and was feeling stressed.

He said that he had drunk one or two beers and a couple of glasses of wine, but didn’t feel drunk.

He told police he had got into the altercation when the two men were leaving the plane and it had then continued in the airport.

Defence advocate Jim Travers asked for credit to be given for his client’s guilty plea at the first opportunity, to the amended charge.

The advocate said: ‘Mr Ewart had endured quite the ordeal over the previous 48 hours.

‘His hotel was evacuated in Ireland due to fire damage.

‘He had not slept and no doubt his mood was somewhat affected.’

Mr Travers said that the incident had been sparked by a minor collision between the two men.

‘Mr Ewart indicates that he apologised. He has an eye condition which means he is not always aware of his immediate surroundings.

‘However, the other male took exception and rebuked him harshly and things escalated.’

The advocate went on to say that Ewart had been kept in custody for a significant period of time, which had then resulted in him losing his job at a local bank.

He was said to now be working as a labourer.

Mr Travers asked the court to consider a conditional discharge.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said that she may have considered this, had it not been for Ewart’s history of disorder-related offences.

She told Ewart: ‘Your behaviour was poor. There would have been other people on the flight that could well have done without the language you were handing out.’

He was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs which he will pay, along with the fine, by May 31.

*The defendant has been in contact with Isle of Man Today since we published the story. Although we accurately reported that his advocate told the court he had lost his job, Mr Ewart said he chose to resign. He is now working as a welder, not a labourer.