Delta Airlines pilot found over alcohol limit before New York flight from Edinburgh jailed

An American pilot who was found to be over the alcohol blood limit just before he was due to fly a plane to New York has been jailed for ten months.

Captain Lawrence Russell, 63, was found to be almost two and a half times the alcohol limit on the day he was due to pilot the Boeing 767 plane from Edinburgh to New York’s JFK Airport on June 16 last year.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard how Russell, of the state of Georgia, was stopped after his carry-on baggage was rejected by an X-ray security machine.

Security staff found two bottles of Jägermeister – one of which had been opened and which was half full.

Russell, who was wearing a pilot’s uniform and wore a lanyard with the word “Delta” printed on it, admitted he was the owner of the alcohol.

He then failed a breath test at 9.30am and later a sample of blood was taken which showed Russell had not less than 49 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood – well above the legal limit of 20 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

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.”

The court heard that Russell had since completed a recovery programme for pilots experiencing substance misuse, and that he had shown remorse over the incident.

Sentencing, Sheriff Alison Stirling told Russell that only a custodial sentence was appropriate for the offence.

“Despite the presumption in Scotland against imposing short sentences, custody is the only appropriate disposal, having regard to the serious nature of your offending,” she said.

“Your offence showed a high level of culpability, and a high potential for serious harm to have been done.

“In particular you were to be the captain on that flight, you had a half full bottle of Jägermeister with you, and the flight had to be cancelled.”

However, the sentence was discounted from an initial fifteen months in recognition of an early guilty plea.