Woman who sparked US airport security alert cleared on appeal
A young British woman who triggered a huge security alert at a US airport has won an appeal against a fine slapped on her by a local court.
Sarah Johnson, 22, of Wednesbury in the West Midlands had landed in Philadelphia in February last year en route to Puerto Rico, where she was due to take up a job as a hairdresser on a cruise liner, according to online news service ananova.com
She was arrested after allegedly entering a restricted area at the city’s airport, and the resulting security clampdown led to nearly 2,000 passengers being evacuated and flights being postponed.
Ms Johnson, who had flown into Philadelphia from Gatwick, claimed that American airport security staff waved her through because she was late – but a Philadelphia court fined her £325.
Now she has won an appeal against the judgement and has been cleared of the charge, called defiant trespass.
She was not in America to hear the verdict but her lawyer John Ebert said: “We’re very happy with the result. At long last it is all over.”
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