'Astonished' Lord Fraser determined to resist air-rage accusations

SCOTLAND'S former top law officer, Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, has denied he was drunk when arrested after an incident on board a flight.

The former Lord Advocate was questioned by police officers on Tuesday night after the flight from London City Airport landed at Dundee Airport.

It is understood that a complaint was made by a female flight attendant about a disruptive passenger.

Flights had been delayed or cancelled throughout the day on Tuesday because of fog in London, and Lord Fraser's original flight, which had been due to arrive at 6pm, was cancelled.

The Tory peer - who led the inquiry into the construction of the Scottish Parliament - said yesterday that he had only had one large whisky when he queried an air stewardess on being allocated an economy seat despite booking a club class ticket.

He said: "I am angry and astonished at being accused of drunken air rage and being apprehended by police. I am innocent and will resist this vigorously.

"Words cannot express my astonishment when I was told she [the stewardess] had accused me of drunken air rage and there were police waiting for me inside the terminal."

However, Lord Fraser admitted that, since suffering a heart attack about a year ago, he has had difficulty walking and conceded cabin crew may have believed he was "staggering". But when the pilot approached him after landing, Lord Fraser said he assumed "he was bringing the stewardess to apologise".

Lord Fraser was kept on the plane while other passengers left, then interviewed by police at the airport next to the Tay.

A statement from Tayside Police said: "A 61-year-old man has been reported to the procurator fiscal following an alleged incident on board a ScotAirways flight from London City to Dundee Airport."

A statement from the Crown Office said: "Crown counsel have considered a report from Tay-side Police in this matter and have instructed further inquiries before any decision is taken on proceedings."