An airline pilot has been sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for performing an aviation function with the proportion of alcohol in his blood exceeding the prescribed legal limit.

Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, 42 (21.02.76), a Japanese national of no fixed address in the UK, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Thursday, 29 November.

He had pleaded guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 1 November to performing an aviation function with alcohol in his blood exceeding the prescribed legal limit.

Jitsukawa, a pilot for Japan Airlines, was arrested at Heathrow Airport on Sunday, 28 October at approximately 18:50hrs, prior to a flight.

A blood test result showed he had not less than 189 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The result exceeded the legal limit contrary to Section 93(1) (a) of the Railway and Transport Safety Act 2003 of 20 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. His result was over nine times the legal limit.

Inspector Iain Goble, of Aviation Policing, said: “This is an incredibly serious offence as Jitsukawa, a member of the airline crew, had responsibility for performing a critical role. This conviction reflects he displayed not only total disregard for the safety of all the passengers and staff on his flight, but also the wider public.

“Clearly, the consequences could potentially have been catastrophic had security staff and police not intervened and he had continued to perform his role on the aircraft in the state he was.

“I would like to praise the security staff who acted quickly and professionally upon suspecting that Jitsukawa was not fit to fly and alerted police.”

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