A LEADING script-writer lost the plot onboard an aircraft and the air turned blue when he was told there was no butter to go with his in-flight meal.

Former solicitor James McIntyre, who has penned scripts for River City and EastEnders, was flying back from Tenerife for Glasgow and blew his top when the meal was served without any accompanying dairy spread.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard how cabin crew were so alarmed by his abusive outburst that they alerted the captain who arranged for police to arrest him on arrival.

The 58-year-old told cabin crew who were serving him: "I never got any f***ing butter in that box".

When advised that the meals were pre-packed and did not include butter, he flew off the handle.

"A cabin crew supervisor was told that he had been abusive and was using appalling language," said depute fiscal Hazel Emmerson.

He was eventually led from the aircraft by police after it landed in Glasgow.

McIntyre, 58, from Linlithgow, it was stated, had been suffering from exhaustion and hunger, having spent a week working on scripts in Tenerife.

"He was under pressure," said a defence agent, "and accepts it was completely unacceptable."

McIntyre, of High Street, Linlithgow, admitted behaving in an abusive and aggressive manner contrary to the Air Navigation Order of 2009, during the incident on August 25 last year.

He was fined £800.

Sheriff Derek Livingston said: "Someone shouting and swearing like this is clearly going to be causing concern to those travelling with children.

"Behaviour such as this is unacceptable, particularly within a confined space where people are unable to get away from it."