A court in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, on Wednesday handed down a suspended jail sentence to a 39-year-old British citizen of Pakistani origin after he allegedly forced the diversion of an international passenger flight due to disruptive behavior onboard.

The suspended, for three years, sentence is for eight months prison time.

The defendant was convicted in a summary misdemeanor court following an incident late Tuesday aboard a flight traveling from Manchester to Antalya, Turkey. According to police, the passenger displayed aggressive behavior while in an apparent state of intoxication, prompting the aircraft’s pilot to make an unscheduled landing at Thessaloniki’s Macedonia International Airport.

Police said the man initially admitted during questioning that he had consumed alcohol before or during the flight. However, he later disputed that account in court, telling judges through an interpreter that he was not intoxicated and had merely been speaking loudly.

Police said the disruption was significant enough for the pilot to divert the aircraft as a precautionary measure. Following the landing, police officers at the airport boarded the plane and arrested the passenger without further incident.

The aircraft later resumed its journey to Antalya after the situation was resolved.

Recent months have seen renewed calls for stricter enforcement and stronger penalties against passengers whose behavior jeopardizes flight safety, disrupts operations or results in costly diversions.

Under international aviation regulations, flight crews are authorized to take measures necessary to maintain safety and order onboard, while pilots retain broad authority to divert aircraft when passenger conduct is deemed a risk to the flight, crew or fellow travelers.