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Naomi Campbell gets community service

Naomi campbell
Popular culture
25 June, 2008

Naomi Campbell has been ordered to do 200 hours of community service over a bust-up with police at Heathrow’s Terminal 5.

The supermodel appeared in court and admitted to charges relating to a row over a lost bag that saw her thrown off a Los Angeles-bound flight in April.

The court was told that Campbell called a British Airways pilot “a racist” before assaulting police in the bust-up, kicking and spitting at officers.




The court heard that the star swore at Captain Miles Sutherland during the incident, saying: “I can’t believe you have lost my…bag. Bring me my…bags now.”

The model flew into a rage when officers arrived to remove her from the plane, lashing out and accusing them of targeting her because she was black.

Following her outburst to the cabin crew, the supermodel attacked at least one police officer while she was being taken off the plane in handcuffs.

The 38-year-old pleaded guilty to all four charges she faced at Uxbridge Magistrates Court.

These included two counts of assaulting a police officer, one count of disorderly conduct likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress and using threatening, abusive words or behaviour to cabin crew.




Naomi has been placed on a community order for 12 months. She will have to do 200 hours of unpaid work and pay compensation of £200 to each of the two police officers that she assaulted.

There is also a fine of £650 for a public order offence and £1,650 for using insulting and abusive words towards the cabin crew.

Melanie Parrish, prosecuting, told the court that Campbell was a first-class passenger on the BA flight on April 3 this year.

The flare-up occurred when Capt Sutherland informed passengers that not all baggage could be loaded onto the plane.




Miss Parrish said: “(Campbell) instructed him to personally get off the aircraft and get her bag and show it to her.”

The magistrates were told that when Capt Sutherland tried to explain her options, Campbell snapped: “How dare you tell me what my options are? You are not leaving until you find my…bags.”

As the captain walked away Campbell allegedly shouted after him: “You are a racist, you wouldn’t be doing this if I was white.”

The court heard that police were called and three officers arrived.

Miss Parrish said the offers extended Campbell every “dignity and courtesy” but Campbell continued to shout and swear.

The court heard that the officers made no attempt to touch her but Campbell screamed at them “You can’t…touch me” and shouted down her phone to “make sure the press know”.

At the time of the incident, her spokeswoman blamed the incident on the chaos that had engulfed the new terminal at Heathrow.

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