A British Airways flight attendant who was discovered under the influence of drugs and unclothed during a flight has avoided imprisonment. Haden Pentecost, aged 41, received a suspended six-month prison term and was directed to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £150 in costs after confessing to performing his duties impaired by drugs. The incident occurred on a flight from San Francisco to London Heathrow in May, where Pentecost exhibited erratic behavior and was found naked by colleagues after locking himself in a bathroom. Despite causing a disturbance to the crew, the passengers were not aware of his state. Upon landing, Pentecost was taken to a hospital, where tests revealed the presence of methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system. He was subsequently dismissed from his job. In court, it was mentioned that Pentecost failed to conduct pre-flight safety checks, leaving his colleagues to manage the flight independently. His defense lawyer stated that the drugs were ingested in San Francisco to enhance a sexual encounter, a practice he had done previously, but suggested the potency of the substance might have differed. Pentecost expressed remorse and fear of losing his liberty, emphasizing that losing his job was a significant consequence. The judge acknowledged mitigating factors such as his prior good conduct, immediate admission of guilt, and non-aggressive behavior, reducing his sentence from 12 to nine months and suspending it for a year. He was also instructed to fulfill the unpaid work requirement within the next twelve months.
