Woman arrested after trying to sneak on board Gatwick Airport flight

Sussex Police say that Mistura Alade, 45 – and a girl who cannot be named for legal reasons – had booked a flight to Milan from Gatwick. But Alade had not checked her passport expiry date.

Travel rules to EU countries require a passport holder to have at least three months left before expiry to allow them onward travel.

Alade and the girl left the boarding area when informed by staff, but then later tried to sneak aboard the flight. In the process, they broke through a security door and through an emergency exit, setting off two alarms. They also bundled past an airport worker, causing him to fall heavily on a staircase. Airport security and police arrived swiftly on the scene and arrested the pair.

Alade, a former supermarket worker from Birmingham, appeared before Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on January 9 when she was found guilty of assault by beating, and of entering a restricted area, contrary to the Aviation Security Act.

She was sentenced to a one-year community order with a requirement to complete 40 hours of unpaid work and 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement sessions.She was also ordered to pay £200 in compensation to the airport staff member who was injured.

The court heard how the incident on the staircase, which happened on February 22 last year, left the airport worker injured and off work for several weeks.

Speaking after the case, Detective Sergeant Ian Warncken from Gatwick CID said: “Alade was told that she would not be able to travel to Milan and was informed of where she could obtain help within the airport. She was removed from the passenger list as a result.

“But instead of seeking help, she instead attempted to sneak on board the aircraft, and refused to listen to staff members.

“Her reckless and selfish behaviour put herself in danger as well as other air passengers after she entered a restricted area of the airport, at one stage potentially attempting to board the wrong aircraft.”

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The second passenger was also found guilty of the same offences. She was sentenced to a Youth Referral Order for four months and was ordered to pay £30 in compensation.