Asian businessman jailed over rape threats to flight attendant

A RECRUITMENT company director has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after making gang rape threats and hurling racist abuse at cabin crew during an international flight, according to court reports.

Salman Iftikhar, 37, was travelling first class with his wife and three children on a Virgin Atlantic service from London Heathrow to Lahore in February 2023 when he launched into a terrifying tirade against flight attendant Angie Walsh.

The British Pakistani businessman, who runs a recruitment firm according to his LinkedIn profile, told Walsh she would be "dragged by her hair", "gang raped and set on fire" and would "be dead on the floor of her hotel", Isleworth Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Abdul Kapadia told the court that Iftikhar had been drinking champagne at the aircraft's bar when he leaned over to get ice himself. When cabin crew asked him to return to his seat, he responded with a torrent of abuse.

"Don't tell me what to do you racist fing b**. I know where you are from in Cardiff," he shouted at Walsh, before calling her a "fing white Welsh c*".

The situation deteriorated so badly that crew members discussed diverting the aircraft to Turkey. Iftikhar's behaviour continued despite his children "crying and pleading for him to stop", with prosecutors saying his wife appeared ashamed by his conduct.

During the eight-hour ordeal, Iftikhar made over 100 separate incidents of abuse while "slurring his words". He also threatened to "blow up the floor of the Avari Lahore Hotel" where the cabin crew were scheduled to stay.

Another passenger filmed part of Iftikhar's outburst, during which he repeatedly accused Walsh of racism, claiming she had called him a racial slur "in front of everybody".

Walsh, who had worked for Virgin Atlantic for 37 years, was left so traumatised by the threats that she took 14 months off work. In her victim impact statement, she described how the incident had "broken" her.

"I was working when all flights were grounded on 9/11, and I've even flown into a war zone. But this incident has broken me," she was quoted as saying. "I have had the best career in the world for 37 years. But he has taken that away from me."

According to various reports, Iftikhar leads a lavish lifestyle from his £2 million six-bedroom home in Iver, Buckinghamshire. The businessman owns several luxury vehicles including a Range Rover, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce, which feature regularly on the family's social media accounts.

Court documents revealed that Iftikhar has two wives - Erum Salman, with whom he runs the London staffing business, and Pakistani supermodel and actress Abeer Rizvi.

When the plane landed in Pakistan, no immediate action was taken against Iftikhar. However, he was arrested at his Buckinghamshire home in March last year.

Iftikhar pleaded guilty to making threats to kill and racially aggravated harassment against Walsh. He was cleared of assault and threats to kill charges relating to another flight attendant, Tommy Merchant.

Defence barrister Ben Walker-Nolan told the court that while there were "over 100 incidents over the course of eight hours", the most serious threats were limited. He cited Iftikhar's "long-standing drug and alcohol problem, which he has not addressed for many years".

The court heard that Iftikhar has six previous convictions covering 15 offences, including common assault in 2004 and drink-driving in 2008.

Passing sentence, Recorder Annabel Darlow KC condemned the defendant's actions: "Your threats to kill were made in the presence of children, specifically your three young children. This was an appalling incident which has caused long lasting and devastating consequences."