BA pilot jailed for vodka before flight

A BRITISH Airways pilot who turned up to fly while four times over the alcohol limit has been jailed for eight months.

Julian Monaghan, 49, had downed vodka ‘to help him sleep’ before a flight carrying 300 passengers from Gatwick to Mauritius.

Police were called before the Boeing 777 was due to ‘push away’ on January 18 after a crew member smelled booze on Monaghan and reported it to her boss.

He was sentenced at Lewes crown court yesterday after admitting reporting for duty while over the drink-fly limit.