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A drunk passenger on a British Airways plane travelling from Heathrow Airport to South Africa had to be restrained after smashing crockery and hitting crew members, a court has heard.

Emma Langford, 47, admits being drunk on board flight BA043 for Cape Town on 6 December.

She has also admitted behaving in an abusive manner towards flight staff and causing criminal damage, but she denies three charges of assault by beating.

She was bailed for trial in August.

Uxbridge Magistrates' Court heard Ms Langford, of Old Basing in Hampshire, was verbally abusive towards crew who claimed she smelt of alcohol on the flight.

A statement was read to the court on behalf of BA customer services manager Matthew Richardson, in which he described Ms Langford entering the plane's galley displaying "agitated body language" and demanding a drink about 30 minutes into the flight.

After being told to calm down and being given a bottle of water, Mr Richardson said she later returned to the galley.

His statement said: "She approached me with a puffed-up chest and was behaving erratically again, she was verbally abusive."

He claimed she "hit me several times", including being punched about three times on his left collarbone.

At one point Ms Langford tipped up a drawer of plates and tray of glasses, causing them to break, Mr Richardson said.

Eventually, she was served with a violation notice by staff on the plane, the court heard.

"She then ripped it up and responded saying 'blah, blah, blah'," Mr Richardson said.

His statement added that Ms Langford was restrained in her seat for the rest of the journey.

She is due back in the same court on 12 August.