Drunken builder sparked chaos on a BA flight carrying singer Ed Sheeran — with a stream of racial and homophobic abuse
We told last October how armed cops were waiting at Heathrow Airport to arrest the drunken yob
A BOOZED-UP Scot admitted sparking chaos on a plane carrying Ed Sheeran with a stream of racial and homophobic abuse.
Stephen Bell, 46, left stewardess Sonia Nsonde in tears after saying to her: “F*** off monkey.”
The creep, from Aberdeen, also made monkey noises and gestures at the BA employee before calling her colleague Phillippe Baffet “a gay c***”.
But the builder was spared jail for his sickening antics on the flight from Miami, US — whose passengers included pop superstar Sheeran, 33.
We told last October how armed cops were waiting at Heathrow Airport to arrest the drunken yob.
Today dad-of-three Bell pled guilty to two counts of harassment — one of them racially aggravated — plus being drunk on an aircraft.
He told Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court in London he’d necked cocktails and beers at the Florida airport after running out of anxiety medication.
Prosecutor Niamh McDonagh said: “As he boarded the flight he told a cabin crew member he was drunk but OK. Half an hour after take–off Mr Bell saw the crew member and shouted loudly, asking her age.”
The court was told another passenger asked Bell to be quiet but he became abusive and started shaking the seat in front.
When crew tried to defuse the situation, he yelled: “What the f*ck are you going to do about it?” Ms Nsonde came to help but Bell told her: “F*** off monkey.”
The prosecutor said: “He put his hands under his armpits and made monkey noises and gestures at her.”
Bell also called steward Mr Baffet a homophobic slur and a “gay c***” before being restrained by an off-duty police officer and crew.
We told how singer Sheeran smiled for selfies with fans before the mayhem erupted.
He was on his way home from a gig watched by celeb fans including footie legend Lionel Messi, 36.
Ms Nsonde said in a statement: “The incident made me cry. I was racially abused for the first time in my life.
“I felt very vulnerable in the aircraft as there was nowhere I could go.”
Mr Baffet stated: “The insults brought back hurtful memories of homophobic abuse. I wonder whether I should carry on doing the job I love as these incidents are becoming more frequent.”
Bench chair Nigel Shock said the offences were “particularly unpleasant” and “did cross the custody threshold”.
But he let Bell off with a 16-week suspended sentence and ordered him to pay £250 to each victim. He was also fined £350 and ordered to pay costs.
Bell left court wearing an anorak with the zip and hood pulled up plus a scarf that fully covered his face.