Spain to prosecute man accused of racial rant on Ryanair flight
Spanish authorities will prosecute the British man accused of racially abusing an elderly black woman on a Ryanair flight, according to reports.
The incident happened on a Barcelona-Stansted flight last October and made international headlines after a fellow passenger released video footage on social media.
In the video, David Mesher, from Birmingham, is heard insulting Delsie Gayle, a 77-year-old black woman who is severely disabled. She is then asked to move to a different seat by cabin crew.
He later appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain claiming he was not a racist and blamed a fit of temper.
According to an exclusive report in the UK Huffington Post, a Barcelona prosecutor is now launching proceedings against Mesher.
Aida Guillen, director of citizen’s rights at Barcelona City Hall, told the Huffington Post the case is open but added: "The judiciary here in Spain goes slow – so this will not happen quickly. Barcelona City Council has provided the prosecutor with the information regarding the victim and the testimony; he has everything in his hands and has reaffirmed to us today that there is a case and he will go on with it."
The report came a day after it was revealed that Mesher would not face legal action in Britain.
Essex Police said it has completed a thorough investigation and sought advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.
But it said the Crown Prosecution Service did not have the jurisdiction to advise on any charging decision.
"We have completed our enquiries as far as we are legally able to, given that the incident did not happen within our jurisdiction and are now in contact with the Spanish legal authorities so that they can determine how they wish to proceed," said a spokesman.
Ryanair was criticised at the time for its handling of the incident but released a statement around a week later defending the actions of its crew and insisting it had treated the case with the ‘urgency and seriousness it warranted’.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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