A human rights lawyer jailed for spitting and yelling racist taunts at Indian cabin crew who refused to serve her a fourth bottle of wine in business class has been found dead at Beachy Head days after leaving prison.
Simone Burns, 50, from Hove, was sentenced to six months in April for the racist rant against Air India staff during a flight from Mumbai last year.
She called the cabin crew ‘Indian money-grabbing c***s’, smoked a cigarette in the toilets and then spat in a cabin supervisor’s face in an attack filmed by ‘shocked’ passengers on board the Heathrow-bound jet.
Belfast-born Burns was found dead at the foot of Beachy Head in East Sussex on June 1, less than two weeks after being released from Bronzefield women’s prison.
A friend said last night that Burns’ world ‘fell apart’ after her conviction and time behind bars.
Simone Burns (pictured outside Isleworth Crown Court in April, left) was arrested in November 2018 for abusing Air India staff on board a flight (right) and has been found dead at Beachy Head
Her conviction also made her a target for trolls who would remind her of her air rage assault, according to the Daily Telegraph.
A spokesman for Sussex Police said: ‘The body of a woman found at Beachy Head on June 1 has been identified as Simone Burns from Hove.
‘The death is not being treated as suspicious and next of kin have been informed. The matter has been passed to the coroner’s officer.’
Lawyer Ms Burns was born Simone O’Broin in Belfast and was called to the bar in 1992 and represented refugees around the world in her human rights work – with particular focus on the Middle East.
But she she found herself in hot water have written a paper accusing Israel of the genocide of Palestinians, who she called ‘a group struggling for self-determination against a colonial, racist regime’.
On her Facebook page she appeared paranoid, telling friends: ‘Mossad agents and Zionists operatives all over my life… there is yet again a fishy smell of CHABAD LUBAVITCH!’.
She also backed Gilad Atzmon, whose controversial views on Holocaust denial and Jewish history, have led to allegations of antisemitism and racism
Ms Burns was diagnosed with skin cancer 18 years ago and was forced to have several surgeries.
At her trial she appeared with a plaster over her nose as she was waiting to get a prosthetic one.
Burns was found dead at the foot of Beachy Head in East Sussex on June 1, less than two weeks after being released from Bronzefield women’s prison
A video of the incident showed Burns demanding to speak to the pilot after cabin crew denied her another bottle of wine due to her level of intoxication.
The business class passenger was initially served three bottles of wine but declared ‘I’m a f****** international lawyer’ when she was denied more on Air India flight AI131 on November 11, 2018.
She also called staff ‘Indian money-grabbing c****’ and smoked a cigarette in the toilets during the tirade which left other passengers ‘shocked’.
Burns pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and assault by beating at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court.
Prosecuting at her trial, Lauren Smith said the nine-hour flight took off at 4.10am as Burns sat in business class with 17 other passengers.
She was given three bottles of wine with breakfast ‘immediately after takeoff’ but began to complain when she was refused more.
Miss Smith said: ‘She got up from her seat and began swearing and shouting. She was shouting that she was a ‘f****** international lawyer’ and telling them to ‘f*** off’.’
She also shouted: ‘You f****** a****, you f****** Indian money-grabbing c****.’
Burns then went into the toilet to try to light a cigarette before she was given a verbal warning three hours into the flight, the court heard.
Miss Smith said: ‘Her behaviour continued. She was then given a written warning by the captain. This also made no difference to Miss Burns’ behaviour.’
Burns then ranted: ‘F****** Air India is useless, I will say what I want.’
Flight staff then discovered evidence she had been smoking in the toilet and there was ‘a smell of cigarettes coming from within’.
Burns had been travelling in business class and lashed out after crew refused to serve her more alcohol on the flight, as she was ‘very drunk’
Caught on camera: Fellow business class passengers also got an earful, with Burns accusing them of not ‘standing up against injustice’
Her tirade continued further into the flight as she got up from her seat and marched to the area where alcohol was being served to again demand more, the court heard.
She shouted: ‘I have done so much for you f****** Indians and f****** Pakistanis, you should be grateful to me.’
A cabin supervisor, Dastur Pervin, tried to intervene but she was also told to ‘f*** off’, shown the middle finger and assaulted, Miss Smith said.
She added: ‘Miss Burns was right in her face and she felt scared and when she refused to give Miss Burns more alcohol Miss Burns spat in her face.’
Burns also ‘grabbed her by her right upper arm and squeezed it’ before going on to abuse other crew members and passengers.
After touchdown she was arrested in London by officers from the Metropolitan Police.
The barrister, who was born in Belfast and also used the surname O’Broin, insisted her actions had been out of character.
She said they had been driven by a ‘mixture of altitude, consumption of drink and anxiety’, plus the fact she was likely to miss an uncle’s funeral.
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
‘I’m a f****** international lawyer!’ Shocking racist tirade that led to Burns being jailed for six months
Burns was initially served three bottles of wine but declared ‘I’m a f****** international lawyer’ when she was denied more on Air India flight AI131 on November 11, 2018.
Prosecutor Lauren Smith described the rest of the rant during Burns’ trial at Isleworth Crown Court.
Miss Smith said: ‘She got up from her seat and began swearing and shouting. She was shouting that she was a ‘f****** international lawyer’ and telling them to ‘f*** off’.’
Burns is seen in an undated photo (left) and outside Uxbridge Magistrates Court on March 6
She also shouted: ‘You f****** a****, you f****** Indian money-grabbing c****.’
Burns then went to the toilet, where she smoked a cigarette, before returning to the area where alcohol was served and demanding more.
Burns then shouted: ‘F****** Air India is useless, I will say what I want.
‘I have done so much for you f****** Indians and f****** Pakistanis, you should be grateful to me.’
