Drunk nurse drops her baby on airplane after five-hour vodka binge

Drunk nurse who dropped her baby on TUI flight to Crete, threw money at flight attendants and yelled ‘we’re poor, how much do you want b***h?’ admits child neglect

• Nurse Beth Jones, 27, and Kieran Cunnah, 30, were drunk at Manchester Airport
• She dropped her baby on the floor before being escorted off a plane by police

A drunken nurse dropped her baby on the floor of an airplane after a five-hour vodka binge which saw her and her partner arrested and thrown off the flight.

Beth Jones, 27, and Kieran Cunnah, 30, were so unsteady after drinking duty free spirits at the airport that Jones dropped her baby when Cunnah attempted to pass her on to her lap.

Cunnah later knocked the baby out of her seat a second time when brushing past her, shocking fellow passengers.

A female flight attendant confronted the pair as they took their seats on the TUI flight – but Cunnah threw money at her and said: ‘How much do you want from us? We’re poor. How much do you want b***h?’

They were eventually escorted off the Crete bound flight as it was due to head out from Manchester Airport with 200 passengers on board.

Beth Jones, 27, from Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, admitted being drunk on an aircraft and child neglect on May 12 last year

Jones’ partner Kieran Cunnah, 30, who is currently serving 32 months for unrelated dangerous driving offences, was jailed for an extra three months

It emerged the couple had been drinking heavily in the departures lounge after their flight was delayed. The baby, whose exact age is not known, burst into tears when she was dropped but was not injured.

At Tameside magistrates court, Jones from Mossley, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester and Cunnah, from Mickle Trafford, Chester admitted being drunk on an aircraft and child neglect.

Jones was ordered to complete a 12-month community order, 20 rehabilitation activity days and a 90-day alcohol abstinence requirement and was further fined £50 with £195 in costs and a victim surcharge.

Cunnah, who is currently serving 32 months for unrelated offences of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, was jailed for an extra three months and was also made to pay the court £100 in costs and a £128 statutory surcharge.

Eileen Rodgers, prosecuting, told the court that on Thursday, May 12 last year, the couple had arrived at Manchester Airport at around midday, three hours before their flight to Crete at 3pm. 

After passing through the security gate, they entered the Terminal 2 departure lounge where they bought a bottle of Ciroc vodka, as well as a meal and other drinks.

However, when their flight was further delayed to 4.45pm, they went back to the departure lounge and finished off the bottle of Ciroc with mixers they had also bought from the duty free.

Beth Jones, a drunken mother who accidentally dropped her baby on an airplane floor, is pictured outside Tameside Magistrates Court

Ms Rodgers said: ‘When the pair later boarded the flight, a member of the cabin crew, noticed they were both very drunk. They were unsteady on their feet and incoherent, so she told the rest of the cabin crew to keep an eye on them whilst she took them to row 28.’

‘She approached Cunnah and asked to see his boarding pass to confirm who he was. 

‘However, he instead pulled out notes from his pocket and started throwing them at her, saying: “How much do you want from us? We’re poor, how much do you want b***h?”‘

The cabin crew member informed the pilot, who alerted police and delayed takeoff. A dispatcher then arrived to tell the couple they would not be flying due to their drunkenness.

Ms Rodgers added: ‘When leaving his middle seat, Cunnah was so intoxicated that he fell into the armrest in front of him. He then attempted to pass the baby to Jones, but she dropped her, causing her to fall off the seat and cry.

‘After she was picked up and placed back on the aisle seat but was not placed securely. When leaving the aisle, Cunnah brushed past the baby and she again fell to the floor causing shock to her and those around her.’

The pair continued to argue with cabin crew as they were escorted off the flight. Jones, who was ‘incoherent and repeating herself’, was eventually persuaded to hand over the baby to an attending police officer. They were then arrested and taken to a police station to sober up.

In a police interview the next day, both admitted they had been drinking. However, they denied any abusive behavior or child neglect. They also said they did not intend to cause any harm or altercations with staff.

In his statement, flight dispatch attendant, Brian Wilson said: ‘It was the worst situation I’ve ever had to deal with, not just because they were drunk on a flight but more because they were so incapable of looking after their own child.

‘When I saw the child drop from the aisle seat, I went down to pick her up but then felt Cunnah’s hand on my shoulder. They were very unsteady on their feet, Cunnah even grabbed me to steady himself at one point.

In mitigation, Michelle Mann told the court the pair were excited to go on their first holiday after lockdown and had behaved responsibly at first.

‘But Mr Cunnah said all his family say “the holiday starts here” whenever they are in the departure lounge,’ she added.

Ms Mann said the couple were told the bar of the departure lounge was busy and that a waiter advised them to order two drinks at a time. Mr Cunnah ordered two drinks in a row and Miss Jones ordered one. 

They repeated this process, before returning to bar again when their flight was delayed.

Ms Mann added: ‘They both realized their behaviour was completely out of order and were upset that their holiday had been ruined. Miss Jones was hysterical upon arrest and had to contact her mother to collect her child.’

‘This incident has had a big impact on her life. She has since resigned from her job as a nurse where she worked for 10 years. She knows she can no longer pursue a career in that field. She was valued in her job and held herself in high esteem. This one incident has cost her dearly.’

‘They are both ashamed and humiliated about what they did, and both have shown remorse.’

In sentencing, the chairman of the bench told Jones: ‘It is a shame that you find yourself in this position when you had a career and a job you were valued and respected in and lost it all because of one stupid event. 

‘However, the protection of a child is very important, and we have taken this into consideration.’

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