Two men have been charged after former Manchester United striker Andy Cole was allegedly racially abused on a flight from Dublin to Manchester.
Lee Patrick Byrne, 28, and Gregory Horan, 26, were arrested when the Aer Lingus flight landed in Manchester on Sunday and appeared before the Trafford Magistrates' Court today, where they were charged with a racially aggravated public order offence.
The pair were reportedly drunk when the alleged abuse took place, and a police report also stated that they refused to obey cabin staff on the plane.
"Officers were responding to reports that a 42-year-old man was being subjected to racial abuse while on the plane, and that two passengers were drunk and would not co-operate with cabin staff," said a spokesman for Greater Manchester Police.
Cole won five league titles and scored 187 goals in the top flight during a successful career with Newcastle, Manchester United and England, among others.
Barney Corkhill
