Soccer Star Slammed
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2004 8:42 am
Soccer star Vinnie Jones gets community service for air rage
LONDON, England (AP) — Soccer star turned actor Vinnie Jones was sentenced Friday to 80 hours of community service for an outburst of "air rage" during which he threatened and assaulted a fellow passenger on a flight from London to Tokyo.
The 38-year-old star of the 1998 comedy thriller "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" pleaded guilty to the charges earlier Friday, and prosecutors withdrew an allegation that he was drunk aboard the aircraft.
The judge sentenced Jones on the charges of using threatening, abusive or insulting words and common assault, which took place June 1 in the first class cabin of a Virgin Atlantic flight from Heathrow airport.
Jones said in a statement he "regretted the incident deeply."
He was also ordered to pay $525 compensation to Stephen Driscoll, the passenger he admitted assaulting. The judge also fined him $875 for threatening the cabin crew and ordered him to pay $525 in court costs.
During his soccer career with Wimbledon and Wales, Jones built a reputation for rough tackling and aggressive play.
LONDON, England (AP) — Soccer star turned actor Vinnie Jones was sentenced Friday to 80 hours of community service for an outburst of "air rage" during which he threatened and assaulted a fellow passenger on a flight from London to Tokyo.
The 38-year-old star of the 1998 comedy thriller "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" pleaded guilty to the charges earlier Friday, and prosecutors withdrew an allegation that he was drunk aboard the aircraft.
The judge sentenced Jones on the charges of using threatening, abusive or insulting words and common assault, which took place June 1 in the first class cabin of a Virgin Atlantic flight from Heathrow airport.
Jones said in a statement he "regretted the incident deeply."
He was also ordered to pay $525 compensation to Stephen Driscoll, the passenger he admitted assaulting. The judge also fined him $875 for threatening the cabin crew and ordered him to pay $525 in court costs.
During his soccer career with Wimbledon and Wales, Jones built a reputation for rough tackling and aggressive play.