A BLACKBURN man who was abusive towards airline staff on his honeymoon flight has been fined almost £2,000.

The airliner, bound for Cuba, had to make an unscheduled stop in Bermuda because of the actions of Mohammed Khelya.

But his family say they are standing by him and Khelya apologised to the Bermudian court.

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The 21-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of getting drunk while on an aircraft over Bermudian territorial waters and acting in a disruptive manner.

He was ordered to pay $3,000 and returned to the UK yesterday, spending a night in London ahead of returning to his Roney Street home today.

Speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph at the family home, the former Blackburn College student’s brother Minhaz and dad Gulum said they would support him.

His father said: “It is not like him to behave this way and I know he hasn’t done anything like this in the past.”

Khelya and his new wife Shireen, who have been together for a year, married on November 15 in Blackburn and were about to start their honeymoon.

But after concerns were raised about the amount of alcohol he had been drinking, a court heard he became abusive towards Thomas Cook flight staff and passengers and the flight was diverted to Bermuda where he was arrested.

According to Bermudan newspaper the Royal Gazette, prosecutor Garrett Byrne told the court that several hours into the flight, Khelya became agitated with his wife and the passengers around him.

The court heard on Tuesday how he begun taking pictures with his mobile phone. When told this was also against flight regulations, he accused the flight staff of racial profiling.

The court was told he continued to act abusively, causing an elderly couple to ask staff if they could be moved to different seats. The couple told flight staff that he was drinking and cursing.

A short while later, flight attendants noticed that he began to argue loudly with his wife and saw a partially drunk bottle of vodka between them.

Asked if he had been drinking, he was abusive to attendants.

He was separated from his wife, with the pair being moved to opposite ends of the plane, and handcuffed, the court was told.

In court, Khelya apologised for his behaviour, saying it was completely out of character.

The Gazette reported him as saying in court: “I’m really sorry. I was on my honeymoon. I was with my wife.

“I was just a little bit drunk. I was trying to enjoy myself.

“I don’t know how I’m going to forgive myself. I don’t know how she’s going to forgive me.”

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo fined Khelya $2,000 for being drunk on the aircraft and $1,000 for his abusive behaviour.

Yesterday, his family were still coming to terms with the ordeal, but remained supportive of Kheyla, who helps out in his dad’s shop in Johnston Street.

Brother Minhaz said: “He bought a bottle of vodka on the way and got a bit drunk and a bit rowdy.

“He was told he couldn’t drink on the plane and the staff told him to be quiet and they moved Shireen to try to keep him quiet.

“But that just made him more rowdy and he was swearing and they then somehow restrained him.”

Mr Kheyla said some reports that Shireen had feared for her safety and asked to be moved were false.

He said: “She was told to move by the flight staff. She did not ask to be moved. She was not afraid of him.”

Mr Kheyla said the family did not know that Mohammed drank alcohol and he did not believe it was something he did regularly.

He said: “I think he just wanted to celebrate.

“I don’t think he does drink which is probably why he underestimated his limit and couldn’t handle it.

“He will go to see Shireen and her family to talk about what happens but I am sure everything will be fine.”