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Stonemason urinated on British Airways passenger during flight, court hears

Adam Purchase
Adam Purchase

A stonemason who appeared on Grand Designs urinated on a British Airways passenger and his child’s teddy bear, a court heard.

Adam Purchase, 54, damaged Thomas Homphrey’s shoes and socks, as well as his child’s teddy bear and drinks bottle after he began “urinating liberally” on an eight-hour flight from Barbados to Heathrow in January.

The seats and carpet of the plane were also damaged to £1,001, The Sun reported.

Mr Purchase, who was drinking throughout the flight, was travelling with his two sons, aged 10 and eight. Mr Homphrey was sitting behind him with his wife and child.

Ms Ashleigh Ettiene, prosecuting, told Uxbridge magistrates’ court on Wednesday: “Mr Purchase became drunk and incoherent.”

She added: “At 11pm, the complainant Mr Homphrey was awoken by his wife shouting ‘oh my God he's peeing everywhere’.

“Urine was splashing on his legs and feet. Mr Purchase had his genitalia out and was urinating.

“It was a packed aircraft. There were children present, including his own.

“Mr Purchase has been described as being drunk and urinating liberally, coming across as reckless and causing damage to the aircraft.”

‘Ashamed and extremely remorseful’

The court heard that the part-time builder had been in Barbados visiting a friend whose wife had been in intensive care.

Bawita Dhanda, defending, said Purchase had gotten little sleep in the three days before the flight and had also been going through a divorce.

There was a delay at the airport so he had lunch with his sons when he drank two rum and ginger ales, the court heard.

He claims he then had two small bottles of wine on the plane and has no recollection beyond that other than being woken up upon landing.

Ms Dhanda said her client was “ashamed and extremely remorseful”.

Purchase admitted drunkenly entering an aircraft and causing damage of £1,001.

He was released on unconditional bail and sent to Isleworth crown court to be sentenced next month.

The stonemason appeared on the Channel 4 show Grand Designs in 2011 when he and his partner attempted to transform an old engine house into a family home, but he ran out of money before completing the project for the programme.