Edinburgh crime: Delta Air Lines pilot appears in court charged with being over flying alcohol limit

A pilot who was arrested at Edinburgh Airport after he was allegedly over the legal alcohol limit for flying safely has been released on bail.

Lawrence Russell Jr was apprehended by police following an allegation he was under the influence of alcohol while on board a Delta Air Lines aircraft at around 10am on Friday June 16. Mr Russell Jr, 62, spent the weekend in custody and appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday where he faced a charge of breaching section 93 (1) of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003.

During the short petition hearing Mr Russell, whose address was given as Georgia, USA, made no plea to the allegation and he was remanded in custody. Section 93 (1) of the legislation sets out a limit of 20 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood for those activities carried out by aircrew and air traffic controllers.

The crew member was due to appear back at court within eight days but the case called again as a bail application via a video link in front of Sheriff Gordon Liddle on Wednesday. Mr Russell Jr, who was being held in custody at HMP Edinburgh, was granted bail by the sheriff during the short private hearing.

One condition of his release states Mr Russell Jr is not allowed to fly any aircraft within UK airspace until the case has been disposed of.

The pilot was detained by Police Scotland officers shortly before a Delta Air Lines flight was scheduled to fly from Edinburgh to John F Kennedy Airport in New York on Friday morning. The flight was subsequently cancelled and the airline confirmed all the passengers were being helped with their travel plans.