A couple whose drunken and abusive behaviour led to their flight being diverted changed their pleas to guilty today.

Trevor Augustus Blake, 44, and Nicola Fitzgerald, 27, of Enderby Road, Luton, were charged following a disturbance on flight BA2263 from Gatwick to Kingston, Jamaica, on December 5, 2005.

Blake admitted affray aboard the Boeing 777 when he appeared at Brighton Magistrates' Court today.

Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to drunkenness on an aircraft.

The couple, who claimed later that they had twice had sex on board the jet before the disturbance, had denied the charges at Lewes Crown Court in September last year.

The court heard that Blake used obscene language, jabbed his finger at, and issued threats against the air crew after being refused alcohol.

He also scrunched up and threw a piece of paper in temper.

When he was restrained his girlfriend became distressed and was also restrained.

The flight was diverted to Bermuda and the couple were arrested.

Prosecutor Danny Robinson told the court: "The genesis of the difficulty on the plane arose over the pair being refused drinks.

"Some small bottles of wine had been given to both defendants. However, the air crew declined to give further drinks because Mr Blake became rather loud."

Laura Marshall, defending Fitzgerald, said: "When she realised her partner was being restrained she became upset to the point that she had to be restrained herself."

The couple had enjoyed sex twice in the aircraft's toilets before being refused alcohol, they told The News of the World last year.

Fitzgerald told the newspaper: "We felt like we were being very naughty, but we made a point of being quiet."

Recorder Christopher Morris-Coole adjourned the case for sentencing on June 8 at Brighton.

He told Blake: "Have no doubts that one of the considerations will be an immediate custodial sentence because this is a matter which is certainly serious on any standards."

He told Fitzgerald that he would not send her to prison. Drunkenness aboard an aircraft carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment.

A charge against Blake of endangering the safety of an aircraft is likely to be dropped on June 8. The prosecution indicated they will not be offering any evidence.

The pair were released on conditional bail.