CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A P.E.I. man who told a flight attendant he had a bomb in his bag while flying to Winnipeg will be back in court Tuesday for sentencing.
Joseph Robert Weir, 39, appeared before Judge John Douglas in provincial court in Charlottetown Monday for sentencing on charges of causing a disturbance and uttering a threat.
Crown attorney Lisa Goulden told the court that on Nov. 30, 2017, the RCMP in Winnipeg was alerted because a passenger made a comment about having a bomb on a plane.
The court heard that while Weir was on the plane, other passengers were complaining he was drunk, swearing and disruptive.
Goulden said a flight attendant told Weir to gather his things because he was going to be de-planed.
Weir threatened to punch the flight attendant.
Goulden said when the flight attendant asked Weir which bag was his, he told her he would have to find it and it was the one with the bomb in it.
Weir also yelled at people in the airport once he was off the plane, Goulden said.
The court heard the police noted a strong smell of alcohol on Weir, who Goulden said admitted he was a little drunk and had been running his mouth off.
A pre-sentence report prepared for the case detailed some of Weir’s personal history, including past addictions to alcohol and crack cocaine.
Goulden said Weir reported he was drunk and tired on the day of the offences and he acknowledged it was stupid to act the way he did.
Weir’s lawyer did not have a chance to read the pre-sentence report before Monday’s proceedings, and Douglas adjourned the matter for a day to give her more time.
