A family cruise from Norway to Southampton turned stormy after a fight broke out over the use of bad language, resulting in a financial adviser being handed a 21-month jail term for attacking two passengers.
According to media reports, Paul Evans was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court for two counts of actual bodily harm.
The fight, which took place in July 2019, reportedly broke out after Evans and his partner, Tabatha Young, became angry when a family asked them to stop swearing as they dined on board P&O’s Royal Britannia ship.
The court heard Young attacked holidaymaker Sarah Gardner, who was with her husband Justin Gardner and two daughters after attending a family disco.
An ‘intoxicated’ Evans then intervened and punched and kicked Justin Gardner and fellow passenger Andrew Irvine, who tried to stop the fight, as if he were ‘taking a penalty’.
The media reports stated that Evans previously worked at DeVere Group. International Adviser understands that he also worked for Guardian Wealth.
Young pleaded guilty to causing acutal bodily harm and was given a nine-month jail term, which was suspended for two years. She has been ordered to complete 180 hours of community service.
‘Brutal’
Judge Nicholas Rowland said: “There were other family members [in the buffet]. You two – Evans and Young – arrived worse for wear – that is an understatement. You were swearing at each other.
“You [Young] were making inappropriate comments. You cannot remember any of it, but things became darker when Evans started making grossly offensive comments. You were abusive to the [Gardner’s] daughter.
“[Young] started the violence. Gardner intervened, and she says she was bitten. There was evidence of head butting and punching.
“Evans then became involved. I do not accept that this was self-defence. There was no need for defensive force to be used. You punched Mr Gardner on the ground.
“You punched him on the back of the head and a witness described it as ‘brutal’.”
A spokesperson for P&O cruises told International Adviser: “We will not tolerate disruptive behaviour on board our ships.”
