Architect Simone de Gale convicted in absence over assault on Virgin Atlantic crew
Simone de Gale, 44, a London architect, was found guilty in absence at Ealing Magistrates' Court of four offences over a drunken confrontation with Virgin Atlantic cabin crew on a Dubai–Heathrow flight on 5 February. A warrant has been issued for the arrest.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Simone de Gale, 44, of Notting Hill, west London, was convicted at Ealing Magistrates' Court of four offences arising from a Virgin Atlantic flight from Dubai to Heathrow on 5 February. Daily MailR “De Gale, of Notting Hill, was today convicted of four charges” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Evening StandardN “was found guilty of four offences after failing to attend her trial at Ealing Magistrates' Court” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Mixed · 2The offences were behaving in a threatening, abusive, insulting or disorderly manner towards a member of aircraft crew, being drunk in an aircraft, using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, and assault by beating. Evening StandardN “assault by beating.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Daily MailR “being drunk aboard an aircraft and assaulting Ms Buckland by beating” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2De Gale did not attend court and was found guilty in absence; magistrates issued a warrant for arrest, not backed for bail. Daily MailR “Magistrates issued a warrant for de Gale’s arrest, not backed for bail.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Evening StandardN “magistrates issued a warrant for her arrest” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Right · 1The Daily Mail reported that de Gale's personal assistant told officials de Gale had been stranded in Dubai since 8 September and was due to return to the UK at the weekend. Daily MailR “De Gale's personal assistant contacted officials to say she has been stranded in Dubai since September 8 and was due to return to the UK at the weekend.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1The court heard that cabin crew member Sarah Buckland had politely asked de Gale not to cross an aisle near sleeping passengers, including a family with a nine-month-old baby. Buckland said de Gale responded by shouting, calling the crew racist and saying: 'I'm an architect and you're just a f***ing air hostess'. Daily MailR “The architect flew into a rage when she was politely asked not to walk through an aisle where passengers, including a family with a nine-month-old baby, were sleeping.”“You're only saying this to me because you're racist, and I'm an architect and you're just a f***ing air hostess” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1Buckland told the court de Gale jabbed Buckland near the collarbone and, after going to the toilet, returned and grabbed and pulled Buckland's cardigan. Buckland was not physically injured but said the incident left Buckland badly shaken, and was taken to the flight deck while pilots considered options including restraining de Gale or diverting the flight. Daily MailR “The next thing, she came back and just grabbed my cardigan and pulled me towards her.”“Although she was not physically injured, the attendant said she had been badly shaken.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Right · 1Graham Cox, a male crew member and former police officer, told the court de Gale boasted of earning more than the crew and owning an architecture business, and passenger Jonathan Shelbourne said he was surprised at how well Buckland kept their cool. Daily MailR “He said she repeatedly accused the flight attendants of racism and claimed stewardesses were 'only there to serve drinks and food'.”“I was surprised at how well she kept her cool” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1On landing, Heathrow aviation policing officers noticed slurred speech, a strong smell of alcohol and stumbling, according to the Daily Mail's account of the court hearing. Daily MailR “officers attached to Heathrow Airport’s aviation policing team noticed the architect’s speech was slurred and her breath smelt strongly of alcohol” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Centre · 1In arrest footage released by the Crown Prosecution Service, de Gale told officers 'I’ve not touched anyone or anything' and 'I recorded everything on a video'; when told of the arrest, de Gale replied 'I don’t think that’s possible'. Evening StandardN “de Gale told officers “I’ve not touched anyone or anything”, adding: “I recorded everything on a video.””“she replied: “I don’t think that’s possible.”” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Mixed · 2De Gale is founder of Simone de Gale Architects, and both outlets note previous meetings with the King and the Princess of Wales. The Mail adds a past role as honorary treasurer and trustee at RIBA; the Standard cites a LinkedIn page describing a role as head of planning for the Belgravia Society. Daily MailR “She has previously served as honorary treasurer and a board trustee at the Royal Institute of British Architects.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Evening StandardN “The architect’s LinkedIn page says she is head of planning for the Belgravia Society”“A prominent architect who previously met the King and the Princess of Wales” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Short, factual conviction report led by the verdict and de Gale's prominence, with the arrest footage released by the CPS.
- Emphasis
- The conviction, the warrant, de Gale's professional standing and arrest-footage quotes.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Little of the evidence heard in court: no witness accounts, no detail of the confrontation, no mention of the baby or the claim of being stranded in Dubai.
- For example
-
“A prominent architect who previously met the King and the Princess of Wales has been convicted of drunkenly assaulting a cabin crew member” — Evening Standard
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Frames the story as a manhunt for a drunk, entitled passenger, leading with the 'I'm an architect' outburst and detailed court testimony.
- Emphasis
- Vivid witness testimony, the class and status angle, the sleeping baby, and de Gale's royal photos and career honours.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not include de Gale's arrest remark 'I’ve not touched anyone or anything'; gives de Gale's side only through the assistant's statement about being stranded in Dubai.
- Charged language
- “on the run”“drunk passenger”“flew into a rage”
- For example
-
“An architect is on the run after drunkenly attacking a stewardess on a flight from Dubai” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Simone de Gale, 44, of Notting Hill, was convicted of four offences at Ealing Magistrates' Court over a Virgin Atlantic flight from Dubai to Heathrow on 5 February.
- The conviction was in de Gale's absence and a warrant for arrest was issued.
- The offences include assault by beating on cabin crew member Sarah Buckland and being drunk on an aircraft.
- De Gale was arrested at Heathrow after the flight and told officers 'I recorded everything on a video'.
- De Gale has previously met the King and the Princess of Wales.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether the assault happened
- Centre
- Reports the conviction and quotes de Gale's arrest remark 'I’ve not touched anyone or anything'.
- Right
- Presents the crew and passenger testimony as established fact; does not report de Gale's denial.
Simone de Gale person
De Gale did not attend court. On arrest, de Gale said 'I’ve not touched anyone or anything' and had recorded everything on video. The Mail reports a personal assistant saying de Gale was stranded in Dubai.
“de Gale told officers “I’ve not touched anyone or anything”” — Evening Standard
“stranded in Dubai since September 8” — Daily Mail
Virgin Atlantic organisation
Virgin Atlantic is named as the airline; its crew member Sarah Buckland gave evidence, and no statement from the airline is reported.
“assaulting Virgin Atlantic crew member Sarah Buckland during the flight on February 5” — Evening Standard
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
-
Architect who met King and Kate convicted over drunken assault on cabin crew on Heathrow flight
Neutral Concise verdict report noting de Gale's prominence and including de Gale's own remarks from arrest footage.
Right1 article
-
Critical Detailed, colourful court report that casts de Gale as an aggressive, entitled drunk on the run, with extensive crew and passenger quotes.
- 15 Oct 16:40 First Daily MailR 'I'm an architect and you're just a hostess': Hunt for drunk passenger who assaulted attendant and accused her of racism
- 15 Oct 20:41 +4h 1m Evening StandardN Architect who met King and Kate convicted over drunken assault on cabin crew on Heathrow flight
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…