Peter Shepherd, a 49-year-old PE teacher at Royal Belfast Academical Institution from Whinfield in Larne, received a 120-hour community service order at Antrim Magistrates Court in Ballymena. The sentence followed guilty pleas to four charges from an incident on an EasyJet flight from Hurghada, Egypt, landing at Belfast International Airport on April 20 of last year.

Shepherd admitted assaulting the female cabin crew manager, disorderly behaviour, being drunk on the aircraft, and threatening or abusive behaviour. Police attended the airport in the early hours after reports of the assault. The cabin crew manager reported Shepherd acted disruptively toward crew, using threatening language and shouting abuse.

Prosecutors stated Shepherd pressed his forehead into the right side of the cabin manager's face during the physical assault. A passenger offered to restrain him. In police interviews, Shepherd denied the allegations but acknowledged drinking before boarding and from a hip flask during the flight.

District Judge Nigel Broderick noted the confined space of an aircraft requires serious treatment of such incidents. Defence counsel Peter Sands said Shepherd expressed remorse and shame, attributing the behaviour partly to discomfort with flying and excess alcohol. Sands confirmed Shepherd's children were on the flight.

Judge Broderick remarked the conduct set a poor example for Shepherd's children and other passengers. He added the matter of Shepherd's employment would go to the school's Board of Governors after sentencing. The school continues to support Shepherd pending that review.

In addition to community service, Shepherd must pay a £500 fine and £500 compensation to the assaulted cabin manager. Sands stated no obstacles exist to Shepherd completing community service.