A WOMAN was found partially-undressed with a man in an airliner lavatory at 30,000 feet, a court heard.

Amber Staines admitted assaulting a stewardess who had been called to the bathroom to investigate what was happening.

The 29-year-old single mother from Leeds was also seen kissing and cuddling and becoming "intimate" under a blanket with the male passenger in their seats.

Staines had been on a late-night flight from Tenerife to Manchester when the incident happened in February.

Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, told Trafford magistrates that Staines was sitting between Jane Mulholland and a 36-year-old male passenger. Miss Mottram said the behaviour of Staines and the man on the 757 Boeing was causing considerable embarrassment to Ms Mulholland.

They were kissing and cuddling and then requested a blanked to cover themselves. The pair also ordered half a bottle of champagne.

Miss Mottram said that during the flight Staines went to the bathroom, followed by the man.

A queue started to form outside and cabin crew were alerted to what was going on.

Stewardess Nicola Hanson went to the bathroom and asked them to come out.

The door was open slightly and she put her hand on it but it was closed on her, trapping her fingers. She screamed in pain and had the door slammed on her hand twice more before she was able to free it. Miss Mottram said another cabin-crew member, Martin Brown, heard Staines shout: "I need to get dressed, I have done nothing wrong, just let me get dressed."

Police

Police met the aircraft when it landed at Manchester and the pair were questioned by officers.

The man was given a police caution for his behaviour on the plane.

In court Staines admitted assault and disorderly behaviour.

Her solicitor, Bill Message, said the plane had been delayed for eight hours and that she had two single brandies with coke during this time. On the flight she had two small glasses of champagne.

He added that the man had been just a passing acquaintance she knew from the holiday and would say hello to and nothing more than that.

Mr Message said: "She can not understand how she got in this situation where she let this man into the toilet given the relatively small amount of alcohol she had drank.

"She cannot say but she suspects something may have been put inside her drink. Her head was in bits and she was not entirely in control of the situation.

"Had she been completely sober there is no way she would have let this young man into the toilet. Nothing serious happened in there - there was just some kissing and a bit of cuddling."

Magistrates gave her a community punishment order for 50 hours and fined her £50.