Human rights lawyer spat in cabin crew member’s face following racist rant

Simone Burns, 50, known as Simone O’Broin, was at first served three bottles of wine, at which she declared: “I’m a f***ing international lawyer”.

When she was denied more wine on the Air India flight on November 11 last year, she called Indian staff “Indian money-grabbing c***s” before smoking a cigarette in the toilets.

Ms Burns admitted being drunk as well as assault at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court yesterday. She will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on April 4.

Lauren Smith, prosecuting, said: “She got up from her seat and began swearing and shouting.” At one point the lawyer shouted: “I have done so much for you f***ing Indians and f***ing Pakistanis, you should be grateful to me.”

Robert Della-Sala, chairman of the bench, told her: “You clearly put the safety of the aircraft in jeopardy by smoking. You were disruptive to other passengers who must have found the whole experience quite shocking.

“The disruption was clearly over a long period of time, the level of racist abuse was prolonged and unwarranted — there’s no excuse for that.”

He added: “The spitting in the face must have been one of the most awful things that can happen to anybody, given the transmission of diseases.”