Human rights lawyer jailed for six months after plane assault and racist rant

Human rights lawyer jailed for six months after plane assault and racist rant

A Northern Ireland-born human rights lawyer has been jailed for six months after spitting in the face of a cabin crew member following a racist rant on a flight from India to London.

Simone Burns, 50, known as Simone O’Broin, launched a profanity-laden tirade after she was refused more alcohol, having already finished three bottles of wine.

She shouted “I’m a f***ing international lawyer” and called Indian staff “Indian money-grabbing c***s” before smoking a cigarette in the toilets during the incident on the Air India flight on 11 November last year.

At one point the lawyer shouted: “I have done so much for you f***ing Indians and f***ing Pakistanis, you should be grateful to me.”

Judge Nicholas Wood, sentencing at Isleworth Crown Court, handed down a six-month sentence for being drunk on an aircraft and a two-month sentence for assault, to be served concurrently, the Belfast Telegraph reports.

Ms Burns was also ordered to pay £300 in compensation to the crew member she spat on.

She had pleaded guilty to the offences at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court last month.

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