Qantas flight attendant was left shaking after ’body slam’ from passenger, witness says

New details have emerged about a violent outburst that took place aboard a Qantas plane when a passenger started a physical altercation with a flight attendant. The passenger is now on trial for the April 2017 incident, according to the Australian Associated Press and The Western Australian. 

A witness testified Tuesday that the flight attendant, Karyn Dwyer, was left shaking, pale and in shock after the altercation with the passenger, Patrick Walters.

Dwyer testified Walters smelled of alcohol at the time.

The incident took place on a flight from Port Hedland to Brisbane as the cabin crew was preparing for take-off. As Dwyer was dealing with a late boarder, Walters got up, approached the front of the plane and began video taping the flight attendant, passenger Stephen Ainscough told the court via video.

When Walters did not comply with demands to stop the recording, Dwyer reached for the phone, prompting the passenger to charge. 

“There was pushing, a scuffle over the phone and they went backwards into the galley,” Ainscough said. “He was forcing her backwards.”

Dwyer’s colleague Laura Norton described Walters’ movement as a “body slam.”

The incident caused a three-hour flight delay, according to the news sites.

The court also heard from Dr. Dale Van Der Mescht, who determined Dwyer had shoulder pain and movement limitations that required physiotherapy.

Walters, 48, was charged with assaulting a member of an aircraft crew.

The trial is ongoing, according to local media reports.

USA TODAY has reached out to Qantas for comment.

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