Man charged after taking off his clothes and assaulting crew member on a flight

A man has been charged after allegedly taking off his clothes and assaulting the plane crew on a flight from WA to Melbourne.

A man has been charged after allegedly removing his clothes and assaulting a staff member on a flight bound for Melbourne.

The 32-year-old WA man was arrested at Perth domestic airport on May 27 after airline staff reported a passenger had removed his clothing and allegedly assaulted a crew member.

The man was restrained by staff members however the flight had to return to Perth Airport.

Australian Federal Police boarded the plane and spoke to the 32-year-old before escorting him off the plane.

He was then arrested and taken for a mental health assessment.

A man has been charged after allegedly assaulting a staff member after removing his clothes on a flight bound for Melbourne. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

The man was charged on summons with one count of assault, threaten with violence or intimidate a person, a member of the aircraft crew, with the maximum penalty for the offence being 10 years in prison.

He was also charged with one count of offensive/disorderly behaviour on an aircraft, with the maximum penalty being a $15,600 fine.

AFP Perth Airport police commander Peter Hatch said the AFP has a zero-tolerance policy for disruptive or criminal behaviour on flights and in airports, emphasising the safety and wellbeing of travellers and workers is “paramount”.

“Particularly when people are confined during a flight, they expect to feel safe and not be subjected to aggressive or violent behaviour,” he said.

“These incidents can also cause delays for other travellers and staff. The AFP works closely with the airline industry to intervene if anyone’s behaviour interferes with the safe operation of a flight.”

Originally published as Man charged after taking off his clothes and assaulting crew member on a flight