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  • Captain Lawrence Russell, 63, jeopardised ‘hundreds of lives’ by his actions

A drunk American pilot who was caught with bottles of Jägermeister in his bag before he was due to fly a passenger plane from Edinburgh to New York while more than twice the alcohol limit has been jailed. 

Captain Lawrence Russell, 63, was stopped in Edinburgh Airport wearing his pilot’s uniform after an X-ray machine rejected his carry-on luggage as he went to board the plane to New York on June 16.

Prosecutors said the former Delta Airlines pilot jeopardised ‘hundreds of lives’ and showed ‘reckless disregard’ for safety after he admitted a charge of reporting for duty as a pilot while being impaired through alcohol.

Russell, from Georgia in the US, was rostered to fly a Boeing 767 to JFK Airport – but was found to be two-and-a-half times the alcohol limit after a breath test at 9.30am.

An opened bottle of Jagermeister was spotted in his carry-on luggage, along with another which was half-full, prompting concerns.

Lawrence Russell Jr, 63, was remanded in custody after he pleaded guilty to reporting for duty at Edinburgh Airport while impaired through drink or drugs

Lawrence Russell Jr, 63, was remanded in custody after he pleaded guilty to reporting for duty at Edinburgh Airport while impaired through drink or drugs

Prosecutor Matthew Millar told the court the pilot was due to captain a Boeing 767 flight New York when his luggage was inspected (stock image)

Prosecutor Matthew Millar told the court the pilot was due to captain a Boeing 767 flight New York when his luggage was inspected (stock image)

Russell admitted being the owner, and a sample of blood was taken which showed he had around 49 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

He pleaded guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on March 6 to reporting for duty as a pilot while being impaired through alcohol, contrary to the legal limit of 20 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

Russell was sentenced to 10 months at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

Lynne Barrie, Procurator Fiscal for Lothian and Borders, said: ‘Lawrence Russell’s conduct would have endangered many lives; the consequences could have been catastrophic.

‘He showed a reckless disregard for the safety of his passengers and crew. The pilot of a commercial aircraft holds the lives of hundreds in his hands. He would have put all of them at serious risk.

‘This conviction should send the message that crimes of this nature will be robustly dealt with.’

Prosecutor Matthew Millar previously told the court the airport security staff ‘noted Mr Russell was wearing a pilot uniform, a lanyard around his neck and a Delta Airline crew pass’.

The pilot, from Georgia in the US, was ‘identified as the owner of the bag’ and when the luggage was searched the bottles of Jägermeister were found. 

The court was previously told one of the bottles of alcohol found in the bag had been opened and was ‘half full’, as Mr Millar said: ‘Given that Mr Russell was wearing a pilot uniform the police were contacted.

Russell arrested at Edinburgh Airport (pictured) after his luggage was selected for a security inspection at around 8am on June 16, the court previously heard

Russell arrested at Edinburgh Airport (pictured) after his luggage was selected for a security inspection at around 8am on June 16, the court previously heard

‘Mr Russell identified himself to the constables and said he was the captain of the aircraft.’

The pilot provided police with a sample of breath at around 9.30am and he was subsequently arrested and taken to Livingston police station where he provided a sample of blood. The court heard that the alcohol level in the airline pilot’s blood sample was ‘not less than 49mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood’.

The fiscal depute previously told the court that when Russell Jr was cautioned and charged he told officers: ‘I’m terrified.’

Lawyer Pamela Rogers, defending, provided the court with a medical report of the treatment Russell Jr has been receiving for his alcoholism and said he was ‘under no illusion’ about the seriousness of the offence.

Following the pilot’s arrest, the flight from Edinburgh to New York was cancelled. 

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This post first appeared on Daily mail

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