Former soldier jailed for starting fire on plane from Birmingham

John Cox smoked a cigarette in the toilet of the aeroplane carrying 201 people before discarding it in the waste paper bin while at 35,000ft.

Crew on board the Airbus A321 heading for Egypt discovered flames and pilot Shane Curtis decided to begin an emergency descent.

Two fire extinguishers and more than four litres of water were needed to put out the fire, at which point the pilot levelled off.

Cox, 46, of Coates Road, Kidderminster, who had been drinking heavily, was aggressive when challenged by crew members and was met by police at Sharm el-Sheikh airport.

He later pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered, and was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court today.

Judge Mark Wall QC said there would have been “200 dead bodies” had the flight crew been unable to control the fire.

Paul Reid, District Crown Prosecutor from West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, said: “The motive of John Cox behind such a senseless crime is still unclear, but what is clear is that his irresponsible actions put the lives of all passengers and crew on board the aircraft in danger.

“We commend the cabin crew for their quick action in extinguishing the fires which prevented the situation escalating.”

The drama unfolded on Monarch flight ZB472 - which had on board 194 passengers and seven staff - on August 27, 2015.

There was a fire on board in another toilet within an hour of it leaving Birmingham, but Cox was not sentenced concerning that incident.

Explaining the flight’s progress, Mr William Dudley, prosecuting, said: “After the first fire the flight was largely unremarkable until when at 35,000 feet the captain received another warning on the system indicating a smoke detector had gone off in lavatory ‘E’.

“The crew went and confirmed both smoke and flames were visible within the lavatory and the bin.

“Initially the captain had understood the crew were finding it difficult to put out the fire but unbeknown to him rather fortuitously a man was on board who had previously been a fireman.

“He and the crew were able to extinguish the fire using two extinguishers and four and a half litres of water.”

Mr Dudley added the pilot had declared Mayday in the chaos and had been cleared for landing at Alexandria airport by traffic control in Cairo.

He later decided it was safe to continue to the intended destination but prevented passengers from using the toilets for the remainder of the flight.

Cox was pointed out to staff by other passengers as having been to the toilet shortly before the alarm.

Asked if he had been smoking, the father-of-two told a crew member ‘no I f***ing haven’t” and went on ‘ranting and swearing.’

Cox was escorted from the plane upon landing and arrested on his return to the UK.

He admitted in interview taking alcohol on board and drinking extensively from that as well as drink supplied by flight attendants.

The court heard the incident has had a lasting impact on those who were on board, with the cabin manager having “cried for fear” during the flight.

Disruption as a result of the incident is estimated to have cost Monarch more than £41,000.

Mr Gurdeep Garcha, defending Cox, said his client had served in the army for nine years, receiving a medal for good conduct and good service.

Explaining the circumstances preceding the incident, he added: “Cox left the army in 2009. In 2012 he was separated from his wife after a long marriage.

“Later in 2012 his mother died suddenly. His life began to spiral out of control and he began to drink too much.”

The court heard Cox has been convicted since the arson for drink driving, but Mr Garcha said his drinking had now been brought under control.

Judge Wall QC, passing sentence, added: “This was a unique arson in that there was no way in which passengers on a plane could have escaped from the fire while a plane is in flight.

“Your stupid and dangerous act could have led directly to the deaths of more than 200 people.

“You have made future flying a real ordeal for many.”