Architect convicted of assaulting Virgin Atlantic flight attendant after drunken outburst
Simone de Gale was convicted in absentia of assaulting a cabin crew member and being drunk on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Dubai to Heathrow.
On a Virgin Atlantic service from Dubai to Heathrow, 44-year-old architect Simone de Gale became aggressive after being asked not to disturb a sleeping infant, shouting that she was an architect and insulting the crew. She verbally abused several attendants, jabbed Sarah Jane Buckland near the collarbone and seized her cardigan, while other passengers recorded the incident. Heathrow aviation police observed her intoxication and stumbling as she left the aircraft.
At Ealing Magistrates' Court, de Gale was convicted in her absence of four charges, including threatening, abusive conduct, drunkenness on board and assault, and a warrant was issued for her arrest. De Gale, founder of Simone De Gale Architects and former RIBA board trustee, had previously met King Charles and was slated to judge the World Architecture Festival.
Why it matters
The case underscores the legal risks and safety concerns when passengers become intoxicated and violent on commercial flights.
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