A FORMER pub chef downed ten pints of lager on his way to a Tenerife stag do and refused to sit down on the plane.

Stuart Leith, who describes himself on Facebook as a former head chef at The Windmill pub in Upper North Street in Brighton, was fined £500 after pleading guilty to being drunk on board an aircraft on March 7.

The Ryanair flight was forced to turn round when the 28-year-old refused to sit down or put on a seat belt during the routine safety announcement.

Leith had binged on more than a gallon of lager before the flight at Manchester Airport.

After cabin crew realised he was intoxicated and the flight was turned round, Leith was arrested.

Police took him back to the airport later so he could board another flight to Tenerife.

Rachael Yarwood, prosecuting at Manchester Magistrates Court, said: “He said he had about ten pints of lager before getting on the plane. He said that he drank before he got to the airport and had about five drinks at the airport bar.

“He regrets the disruption that he caused to the passengers.”

Leith, now living in Cheshire, must also pay £135 in court costs.