Dual citizen of UK and South Africa sentenced for violent disruption of flight from Dublin to Seattle
Intoxicated passenger assaulted flight attendant and people sitting near him; had to be restrained for hours of flight time
Seattle / Wednesday, September 30, 2026 – A resident of North Ireland who disrupted an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Seattle on June 19, 2026, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. James Bradley Noble, 35, spent about ten days in the King County Jail and Federal Detention Center (FDC) after disrupting the flight. He has been on home detention with electronic monitoring at a rented residence in Seattle since his release from the FDC. U.S. District Judge Lauren King accepted the recommendation of a time served sentence and told Noble, “Your behavior impacted all the people on the flight.” One flight attendant reported that the other passengers “were terrified” and had there been an inflight emergency, it would have been difficult for the crew to respond. “The flight attendants’ actions were admirable and ensured the safety of all on board,” Judge King said.”
According to records filed in the case, Noble was significantly impaired by alcohol and other medications he had taken while on the flight. He first assaulted the person sitting next to him, trying to force a pill on her and then spilling a drink on her. Next Noble went to the galley and aggressively grabbed a flight attendant from behind. The flight attendant attempted to escort Noble back to his seat. As he went down the aisle, he stumbled into the person sitting in front of him, cursed at the passenger and then violently shook the back of the person’s seat. The passengers around him had to be relocated and ultimately Noble was restrained to his seat. It took a number of flight attendants to get him securely restrained.
On August 19, 2026, Noble pleaded guilty to Interference with flight crew members and attendants.
In asking for the time served sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “After consuming a large amount of alcohol and a prescription medication, Mr. Noble became disruptive, threatening to fight other passengers and flight attendants. While no one was seriously injured, the seriousness of this behavior should not be minimized. No one should be subject to bad and borderline violent behavior while locked in a metal tube at 30,000 feet, with no way to escape the disruptive behavior. And Mr. Noble certainly should have known better as a licensed pilot himself…. His conviction will doubtless have other collateral consequences on his ability to freely travel and pursue his current employment.”
Victims are still working to provide information on restitution for injuries they may have suffered due to Noble’s behavior. A hearing is scheduled to set restitution in late October.
Noble is expected to voluntarily depart the U.S. following sentencing. With a felony conviction he may not be able to return to the U.S.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Port of Seattle Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Lombardi.
Contact
Press contact for the U.S. Attorney’s Office is Communications Director Emily Langlie at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@usdoj.gov.
Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington
