Gunman Joker Given Community Service

Monday 11th August 2008

A joker that told a stewardess he had a gun strapped to his leg has been given 80 hours of community service after the joke backfired at Edinburgh Airport.

Hundreds of airline passengers were delayed on the flight that saw Vytautus Gulbinavicius, 25 make his joke. When he told the stewardess he had a gun other passengers are said to have overheard and he was hauled from the aircraft just before it was due to take off by police. All the passengers had to return to the terminal building and it was six hours until the FlyGlobespan aircraft could take off again.

Gulbinavicius was given 80 hours of community service at Edinburgh Sheriff Court which his lawyer attempted to explain was partly due to the fact that he had been drinking at the time.