CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A 23-year-old woman who tried to punch and bite security staff after she got into an altercation on a plane at the Charlottetown Airport was fined $400 Monday.
Mariah Leslie Costain appeared before Chief Judge Nancy Orr in provincial court in Charlottetown where she pleaded guilty to causing a disturbance on an Air Canada flight.
Crown attorney Gerald Quinn told the court that on May 20 at around 6:20 a.m. Costain got into an altercation with another person on a plane that was set to leave Charlottetown.
Costain, who was described as being highly intoxicated, cursed at passengers and staff as she was escorted off the plane, Quinn said.
The court heard that Costain tried to punch and bite security staff who eventually took her to the floor in the airport and held her there.
Costain missed her flight, which was delayed slightly, and she was held in custody overnight.
Quinn said it wasn’t surprising Costain was escorted off the plane and kept in custody based on her behaviour.
He also said that type of behaviour at an airport can get people hurt.
“It’s a simple reality,” Quinn said.
Defence lawyer Conor Mullin told the court Costain took too much of the anti-anxiety medication Ativan before the flight, which she said she mixed with one drink of alcohol.
Costain’s behaviour was out of character and she had no memory of the incident, Mullin said.
Along with the criminal charge, Costain was ticketed for being intoxicated in a public place.
Mullin asked Orr to consider giving Costain a conditional discharge, which would have left her without a criminal record.
Quinn disagreed and said he would be more inclined to suggest a suspended sentence.
Orr said that considering all of the factors in the case she didn’t think a conditional discharge was appropriate.
