A MAN celebrating a £1,000 compensation payout with a trip to Rome never left the ground after getting drunk and abusing airline staff, a court heard.

David Burns, 62, not only lost out on his £600 holiday but was yesterday ordered to pay a total of £552 by magistrates after admitting threatening behaviour and being drunk after he boarded the Ryan Air flight at Durham Tees Valley airport last June.

Fellow passengers even applauded as he was removed by police, said prosecutor Hari Jandoo.

Burns, of Hume House, Stockton, initially denied the charges, so the Crown Prosecution Service brought in seven witnesses - including one from Dublin, two from Italy and an interpreter - to testify against him.

But when the case went to trial, Burns changed his plea, and yesterday Darlington magistrates ordered him to pay £502 prosecution costs and £50 compensation to an injured stewardess. He was also given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Mr Jandoo said Burns tripped as he got on to the 7.40pm flight to Rome with a female companion. He then tried to push past a steward and swore after refusing to show his boarding pass.

He then sat in reserved seats and again swore when asked to move.

Burns continued being "loud and abusive", and several passengers moved seats, said Mr Jandoo.

He was flinging his arms about, and accidentally struck a stewardess in the face, causing her to hit her head.

Choi Cheung, mitigating, said: "He had too much to drink. He spent many hours in police custody and didn't end up going on this holiday."

He said Burns had paid for the trip with a £1,000 compensation payment received for criminal injuries.

It will take Burns more than two years to pay off the £552 compensation and costs at a rate of £5 a week.