Community leader gets 20 year flight ban after nipple tweaking at 30,000 feet

A community leader who digusted jet passengers by tweaking his nipples on a flight from Miami claimed he was just scratching himself.

Gordon Alexander Christie, 66, was flying back to Scotland with his wife and daughter when he ‘fondled his nipples and his genitalia’ after drinking whisky, white wine, champagne, and a Bloody Mary.

Christie, who owns several small businesses including a caravan site in the Scottish Highlands and is the head of his local village association at Fochabers, denied but was convicted of an act of outraging public decency.

He appeared in Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court wearing a light blue suit jacket over a white shirt and a chequered tie, accompanied by his wife and son-in-law.

District Judge Kathryn Verghis said she found at trial that Christie’s behaviour on
on 16 April last year was ‘sexualised’, adding: ‘He was putting saliva on his fingers and fondling his nipples.

‘He was fondling his genitalia inside and outside his clothes and ultimately, he held his penis and moved it around.’

She added the Scotsman was ‘intoxicated’ at the time of the offence.

Dawn Burrows, defending, said Christie ‘disputes that there is a sexual element’ and maintained that he was ‘suffering from an itch.’

She added: ‘His penis was not erect… I have seen the videos many times, the fact is that it is not masturbation.’

The court heard Christie was filmed by a passenger, who provided 12 videos of the incident but did not report the offence immediately because he was ‘fearful during the flight such that he did not go to sleep.’

Mrs Burrows told the court Christie was ‘remorseful’ and ‘mortified that at his age he finds himself before the court… he is aware now that his good character has been lost.’

But she added: ‘He maintains that he was unaware of what he was doing.

‘He accepts that it is serious, but he does not accept that this is sexual in nature.’

But Judge Verghis dismissed the account, saying: ‘I don’t accept the defence that it was out of irritation and discomfort.’

She told the pensioner: ‘You were fondling your nipples and fondling your genitalia, and then you exposed your penis.

‘You have persisted with a case that was not remotely viable given the overwhelming evidence.’

The judge added Christie demonstrated a ‘lack of insight into the impact of his behaviour.’

‘I make the point again that this was a prolonged and disgusting incident on an aircraft where no one could have felt safe.

‘You get no credit because you were convicted at trial.

‘I take into account your age, health issues, and previous good character, however, I consider this matter so serious that only custody can be considered.

‘But given what I know about you, I consider this can be suspended.’

Christie was sentenced to 26 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

He was ordered to serve 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, which translates in Scots law to six month’s supervision, as well as costs of £650 and a victim surcharge of £154.

The court heard he has also been put on a no-fly list by British Airways lasting 20 years.

Christie, of Fochabers in the Scottish Highlands, has no previous convictions.