A former soldier who sexually assaulted four members of cabin crew during a single flight, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency diversion, has been jailed for 46 weeks.
In-Flight Assaults and Disruption
Joseph McCabe, 40, from Tollcross in Glasgow, targeted four Jet2 stewards on a holiday flight from Edinburgh to Tenerife on 15 March last year. The court heard the builder, who had been drinking excessively, began his campaign of harassment shortly after take-off, making sexualised comments to a female flight attendant about her tights and makeup.
His behaviour escalated to physical assaults. McCabe groped and slapped the buttocks of two male stewards. He then grabbed a third crew member around the waist and attempted to hug a fourth. Despite being issued with verbal and written warnings, McCabe tore up the written notice and continued his misconduct.
Emergency Diversion and Arrest
The situation became so severe that the captain was forced to divert the Boeing 737, which was carrying roughly 110 passengers, including families and children. The aircraft made an unplanned landing at Porto Santo island.
Prosecutor Miriam Farooq told Edinburgh Sheriff Court that after landing, McCabe got out of his seat and began dancing in the aisle. Portuguese police boarded the flight, arrested him, and took him into custody. The disruption caused a two-hour delay for all passengers before the flight could continue to Tenerife.
Sentencing and Consequences
McCabe, a father of two who served as a private in the Royal Logistic Corps for five years, pleaded guilty to four sexual offences last month. Returning for sentencing on Friday, Sheriff Alison Stirling told him the offences involved "a high level of culpability and a high level of harm".
As well as the 46-week prison sentence, Sheriff Stirling placed McCabe on the sex offenders register for 10 years and imposed indefinite non-harassment orders banning contact with the victims. The court was told Jet2 has banned McCabe from their flights for life, and he has refused to pay the £5,000 costs imposed by the airline.
In defence, Anna Kocela said her client had been drinking due to a family bereavement. McCabe, who runs a construction firm and co-owns a party boat business called The Drunken Anchor, now faces a substantial custodial sentence for his actions.
