A passenger who repeatedly refused to switch off his mobile after requests from cabin crew who feared it could interfere with flight frequencies, has been warned he faces jail.

Businessman Faiz Chopdat, 23, from Blackburn, has been convicted of recklessly endangering the safety of an aircraft.

At Manchester Crown Court on Monday he was told he faced up to two years in jail for the offence which took place last September.

Chopdat, of Rominey Walk, had denied the charge.

There is a distinct possibility I will have to pass a custodial sentence - as much as anything as a deterrent element

Judge Timothy Mort

The jury was told Chopdat had been seen pressing buttons on the phone on board the Boeing 747 jet flying from Luxor in Egypt to Manchester, on 10 September.

Earlier, passengers had been told to switch off their mobile for the duration of the flight.

Prosecutor Steven Johnson told how, about an hour from Manchester, a passenger and then a flight attendant noticed Chopdat's phone was on and the screen illuminated.

A female member of the cabin crew asked him to turn it off but 15 minutes later it was noticed it was on again.

Chopdat (right) refused to turn his mobile phone off

Chopdat was approached again to switch off the phone, the court heard.

"He waved the phone aggressively and said 'It's off, it's off, get out of my face'," said Mr Johnson.

"He was warned on at least two occasions.

"One passenger thought the phone was on because he heard a beep.

"When he asked the defendant to switch it off Chopdat shouted 'Shut up or you'll get a slap'," Mr Johnson told the court.

Staff on the Air 2000 flight were so concerned they radioed ahead and Chopdat was arrested on touch-down at Manchester.

Judge Timothy Mort told him: "'There is a distinct possibility I will have to pass a custodial sentence - as much as anything as a deterrent element."

Sentencing was adjourned until September so the judge can study reports on the dangers of using mobile phones on aircraft.