A British Airways flight attendant who was found naked and high on drugs during a transatlantic flight has been spared jail.
Haden Pentecost, 41, received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, after admitting performing an aviation function while impaired by drugs.
Isleworth Crown Court heard on Friday how Pentecost was ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £150 in costs.
He was also dismissed from his job following the incident on a flight from San Francisco to London Heathrow in May.
Before the journey, Pentecost told colleagues he was suffering stomach cramps but insisted he was fit for duty. Cabin manager colleagues later found him at the bottom of the stairs, described as dishevelled, pale, sweaty and erratic.
He locked himself in a bathroom and emerged "completely naked and oblivious" to the fact he had no clothes on, prosecutor Natasha Lake said.
A colleague struggled to make sense of what he was saying before dressing him and moving him into a free seat.
The captain was alerted and called for medical professionals on board after speaking with Pentecost.
He was found to have dilated pupils, was unable to answer what year it was or who the US president was, and drank 15 to 20 bottles of water during the flight, the court heard.
His behaviour caused a "huge distraction" for the captain and crew, though no passengers were aware of his condition.
The court was told Pentecost had failed to complete pre-flight safety checks and his colleagues had to manage the 10-and-a-half-hour flight without his assistance.
The flight landed at Heathrow where paramedics met the aircraft and took Pentecost to Hillingdon Hospital. A blood sample later showed he had methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system.
Prosecutor Natasha Lake told the court the offence carried a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment, but there were no sentencing guidelines because the case was "quite unique".
Defence lawyer Jon Harrison said Pentecost had lost the career he "very much valued" and came before the court "a man without the profession that he sought to develop after Covid".
Harrison told the court Pentecost had ingested drugs in San Francisco to “enhance a sexual experience” – something he had done before – but questioned whether the strength of the substance was different on this occasion.
He added: "Had he not turned up for that flight he would not have been convicted of this offence."
“He won’t ever commit this offence again because of the loss of his job.”
Pentecost, of Basingstoke, was said to be "terrified" at the prospect of losing his liberty and "mortified" at the shame he had brought on himself.
Judge Hannah Duncan told him: "You don't need me to tell you just how serious this offence was. Cabin crew perform an essential safety role.
"They are there for the comfort of passengers but if anything goes wrong it is up to you to make sure they are safe."
“You are extremely ashamed, you are mortified, you are teetotal and you will never take drugs again.
“You have comprehensively addressed the behaviour that led to you being in the dock today.”
The judge added that there was "great deal of mitigation" in his case, including his previous good character and immediate guilty plea. She reduced his sentence from 12 months to nine due to mitigation, and then to six months for his early plea, before suspending it for 12 months.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
