Swalyn Barton-Cootes fronts court over alleged in-flight assault

A man who allegedly forced an international flight to divert to Melbourne after allegedly trying to “headbutt” the cabin manager intends to defend the charge.

A man who allegedly forced a Perth to Auckland flight to divert through Melbourne after police say he tried to headbutt the cabin manager is back in court in March.

Swalyn Barton-Cootes, 23, faces one charge of assault after he allegedly became aggressive and disruptive on the international flight on October 23.

He briefly appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday and was remanded on bail to reappear on March 12 for a committal case conference.

Mr Barton-Cootes indicated during an earlier court appearance in the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court that he intended to plead not guilty.

The 23-year-old is accused of swearing “loudly in an aggressive manner” about an hour into the evening flight, disrupting other passengers.

Swalyn Barton-Cookes will be back before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in March. Picture: NewsWire/ Liam Beatty

His alleged outburst caused the cabin manager to issue him with a warning – during which he allegedly grabbed the manager’s arm, pulled himself out of his seat and attempted to headbutt the cabin manager several times.

Mr Barton-Cootes was allegedly drunk at the time of the incident.

According to court documents, the cabin manager “verbally calmed” Mr Barton-Cootes and walked him to the back of the plane, before other passengers stepped in to “physically restrain” him, due to “ongoing aggressive behaviour”.

The flight was forced to be diverted, and landed in Melbourne at 1.50am, where Australian Federal Police took Mr Barton-Cootes into custody in what was described as a “dramatic arrest”.

The maximum penalty for assaulting a cabin crew member is 20 years behind bars.