Australian model faces jail over drunken plane attack

An Australian model is facing jail time in the US after drunkenly attacking staff during a flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles.

Adau Mornyang allegedly slapped a flight attendant in the face during a United Airlines flight in January.

The 24-year-old Victorian denies the attack and has described her arrest as “an ordeal.”

She's been found guilty by a US court and will now be sentenced in June.

Ms Mornyang, who was en route to New York, said all she can remember is "waking up after sleeping for eight hours", according to the Herald Sun, saying she had two glasses of wine and took prescription drugs before going to sleep.

She claims other passengers and flight attendants said there was "never a slap".

The US Department of Justice said in a press release Ms Mornyang was found guilty of a felony charge of interference with a flight crew and a misdemeanor assault count.

It said she had to be restrained by air marshals after the attack.

“According to the evidence presented at trial, several hours into the flight, passengers approached a flight attendant to complain about Mornyang’s disruptive behaviour, which included flailing her arms and yelling obscenities and racial slurs,” it said.

“When the flight attendant approached to assess the situation, Mornyang began to shout at the flight attendant and then slapped him across his face. The flight attendant attempted to restrain Mornyang until federal air marshals could assist.

“The federal air marshals were forced to stay with Mornyang in the rear galley of the plane for the remainder of the flight.”

Ms Mornyang was born in South Sudan and moved to Australia aged 10 as a refugee.

In 2017 she posted a video on Facebook saying she was raped by two male friends at 17 in Adelaide.

She recently modelled at New York Fashion Week and has been Miss World Australia Finalist.

She has also spoken out about racial tensions in parts of Melbourne.

She could be sentenced to a maximum 21 years in prison.