Millionaire Salman Iftikhar, 38, saw his sentence increased to three years at Isleworth Crown Court after it had been determined his original 15-month sentence had been “unduly lenient”
A millionaire recruitment boss who threatened to kill and rape Virgin Atlantic cabin crew in front of his horrified wife and three children during a flight had his jail sentence increased to three years yesterday.
Salman Iftikhar, 38, had been in first class when he told cabin crew worker Angie Walsh she would be dragged out from her hotel room, gang raped and then set alight. The harrowing incident happened during a flight from London Heathrow to Lahore, Pakistan, on February 7, 2023.
A stunned passenger, who recorded a short clip of one of Iftikhar’s 100 rants, could be heard saying “holy s***” as the millionaire repeatedly accused Ms Walsh of being a racist. He said: “You called me a p*** in front of everybody.”
Iftikhar was flying with his wife and three children at the time of the drama at 39,000 feet, Isleworth Crown Court heard. He is married to a second wife, supermodel Abeer Rizvi, in Pakistan.
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Iftikhar wept as he was jailed for 15 months in August, prompting a row over “two-tier” justice Lucy Connolly was jailed for 31 months over her Southport riot tweets. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp referred Iftihar’s sentence to the Attorney General for being “unduly lenient” and his case was referred to the Court of Appeal.
His sentence was increased to three years to a total of four years and three months today. Solicitor General Ellie Reeves said today: “Salman Iftikhar made horrific threats of rape and violence against an air steward who was simply doing her job. His tirade of hate and abuse caused distress and anguish for the whole flight, and all of our thoughts today should be with the cabin crew and passengers who suffered from Iftikhar’s vile behaviour.”
Iftikhar has six previous convictions arising from 15 offences, including common assault in 2004 and drink driving in 2008. He was fined £3,000 in 2021 after he was caught drink driving, as well as being under the influence of cannabis in his Rolls Royce in 2021.
Family members wept in the public gallery as the judge Ms Recorder Annabel Darlow KC said: “Your threats to kill were made in the presence of children, specifically your three young children. These were threats made with significant violence. Your children had to be comforted by cabin crew staff while you made those threats.
“Ms Walsh has given up a job which she has loved for 14 months, but thankfully has now returned to work. You have a lengthy and appalling record of misconduct. You have not addressed the underlying cause of this for many years, that is your drug and alcohol problem.
“Given your lifestyle and your ability to earn money, your harm and risk has not moved. This was an appalling incident which has caused long lasting and devastating consequences.”
