Former NFL player charged over trouble on Boston-Dublin flight

A former US National Football League (NFL) player accused of drunkenly hitting one man and urinating on another during a flight from Boston to Dublin has been arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

Gosder Cherilus, who played for the Detroit Lions, the Indianapolis Colts and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was arrested yesterday after the Delta Air Lines flight returned to Logan International Airport.

Police said they ordered the 40-year-old from Wakefield, near Boston, to leave the plane but he "became irate and uncooperative".

He was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and disturbing a flight crew.

According to the police report, he appeared drunk when he boarded the plane, allegedly argued with the flight crew about his seat and an hour into the flight urinated on an elderly passenger.

He then hit another passenger and took that passenger's seat before passing out, the report said.

The Boston Globe said Mr Cherilus was arraigned today in East Boston District Court.

"It’s pretty egregious what you did, as alleged," Judge Debra DelVecchio told him.

In a post on social media, Mr Cherilus apologised to the passengers and crew, claiming he had taken a sleeping medication that he does not normally use and that this caused his bad behaviour.

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In a statement, Delta Air Lines confirmed there had been an "unruly customer" on the flight and that the other passengers were later flown to Dublin.

It did not say how long the service was delayed.

"Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful behaviour and will cooperate with law enforcement to that end," the statement added.

"We apologise to our customers for the delay in their travel."