British Airways flight forced to make emergency landing after man 'attacks wife in mid-air'

Darren Halliwell, from Greater Manchester, was travelling from Heathrow to Texas when the alleged fracas with his wife broke out

Held: Darren Halliwell

A British man forced a passenger plane to make an emergency landing after he allegedly started assaulting his wife in mid air.

Darren Halliwell, 48, was arrested at Boston’s Logan Airport after the BA pilot diverted the plane en route to Texas.

Halliwell, from Aspull, Greater Manchester, reportedly 'became disruptive’ with witnesses claiming they say him assault his partner leading to other passengers jumping in to restrain him.

The couple had taken off from Heathrow at 10.33am today aboard British Airways flight 195 bound for Houston.

As the fracas continued the captain was alerted to the disturbance and decided to request a flight diversion.

The Boeing 747 plane landed shortly after noon local time where police boarded the flight before leading Halliwell away in handcuffs.

He has been charged with interfering with a flight crew but police have said additional charges related to the alleged assault are possible.

A spokesman for BA said: “Our customers and crews deserve to enjoy their flights, and not to suffer any form of abuse.

“This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated, and the Captain took the decision to divert the aircraft to Boston as a precaution.

“The matter will now be handled by the police.”

Police have not identified the alleged victim nor her relationship to Halliwell, 'out of respect for her privacy’.

However local media reported it was his wife, who he is thought to have two children, aged 24 and 22, with.

Massachusetts State Police said: “Troopers met British Airways Flight 195, on which Halliwell was a passenger, when it landed at Logan Airport shortly after noon.

“State Police had been notified that the flight was being diverted to Logan after Halliwell allegedly assaulted a woman he was travelling with and became disruptive.”

After Halliwell was taken from the plane it continued on to Houston landing at 3.46pm local time.

It was not known if his wife stayed in Boston or travelled on to Houston.

Halliwell is scheduled to be arraigned in court tomorrow in East Boston District Court.

A Foreign Office statement said: "We are aware of reports of the arrest of a British national at Boston Logan International Airport and stand ready to offer consular assistance as necessary."