Dubai: A sailor who got drunk on an Emirates flight and compromised the flight’s safety by trying to force his way into the cockpit has won a reduced imprisonment.

The 28-year-old Ukrainian sailor, V.J., was accused of disorderly behaviour and causing trouble on the Dubai-bound flight besides molesting and assaulting two stewardesses while under the influence of alcohol in February.

Citing grounds for leniency, the Dubai Appeal Court admitted the defendant’s appeal and reduced his one-year jail term to six months.

Presiding judge Eisa Al Sharif however upheld a Dh1,000 fine imposed on V.J. “The accused will be deported after serving his punishment,” the presiding judge said on Sunday.

V.J. was convicted of risking the plane’s safety, air rage and molestation.

Court records said V.J. ran up and down the aisle and tried to enter the cockpit. He also groped a Romanian hostess and hugged and tried to kiss her Filipina co-worker.

The sailor assaulted government employees including a security officer while they were trying to do their job.

V.J. admitted in court that he had consumed alcohol but denied the rest of the charges against him.

When asked about assaulting the plane crew, the accused claimed that he acted in self-defence.

The Romanian stewardess said the incident took place 90 minutes after take-off from Singapore. “He misbehaved on board and tried to smoke a cigar. V.J. also tried to enter the cockpit a number of times when he was drunk. We stopped serving him more liquor. The flight’s security officer and others managed to restrain the defendant and buckle him into his seat after the pilot ordered them to do so. The defendant groped me,” she said.

The Filipina flight attendant said V.J. molested her as well.

The Sri Lankan security officer said the accused prevented him from entering the cockpit. “When the pilot ordered us to restrain him and buckle him in his seat, he acted rowdily and assaulted us. We managed to buckle him into his seat until the plane landed safely in Dubai, where he was handed over to the police.”

The appellate ruling remains subject to appeal before the Cassation Court within 30 days.