Fined $1000: FIFO miner kicked off Rex flight in Adelaide for refusing to stop texting ex-partner
A DRUNKEN miner who abused an attendant on a Rex flight, stopping the plane and delaying many later flights because he was texting his ex-partner, has been convicted and fined $1000.
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A DRUNKEN miner who abused an attendant on a Rex flight, stopping the plane and delaying many others because he was texting his ex-partner about her pregnancy, has been convicted and fined $1000.
On Friday, the Adelaide Magistrates Court condemned Curtis Scott Croaker-Merrin’s “appalling” behaviour aboard a Rex flight from Adelaide Airport in January this year.
Magistrate Kym Millard said offences like Croaker-Merrin’s were “regrettably too frequent” and a message needed to be sent to the community that drunken antics aboard aircraft would not be tolerated.
“Your behaviour had a flow-on effect to the Rex fleet for that day,” he said.
“The consequences of your disturbing behaviour resulted in inconvenience to many people and to the Rex airline generally.
“You unnecessarily upset a flight attendant and you caused considerable inconvenience to all other passengers by your appalling behaviour.”
Croaker-Merrin, 23, was charged with one count of intimidating a crew member of a division three aircraft — an offence under Commonwealth aviation law.
The charge arises from an incident on the Broken Hill-bound flight when a man, allegedly Croaker-Merrin, refused to switch his phone to flight mode.
It is further alleged the man ignored requests of cabin staff and attempted to trip a flight attendant walking up the aisle of the aircraft.
The flight, which had taxied out onto the runaway, had to be turned around before Australian Federal Police officers escorted the man off.
A Rex spokeswoman subsequently said the ground return resulted in a two-hour, 45-minute delay to the service.
On Friday, prosecutors withdrew that charge and replaced it with one Commonwealth count of disorderly behaviour, to which Croaker-Merrin pleaded guilty.
Counsel for Croaker-Merrin said their client was deeply ashamed of, and embarrassed by, his actions.
They said that, at the time, he had learned his ex-partner was pregnant with their child but she was threatening not to allow him to see the baby, leaving him emotional.
They said Croaker-Merrin conceded he had drunk too much alcohol as a result of his distress and that, when Australian Federal Police Officers came onto the plan, stood up and said, “I’m the one you’re here for”.
That, they said, was the first of many signs of his genuine remorse and contrition, claiming he had since given up drinking and had forged a good relationship with his ex-partner, who is due to give birth “imminently”.
In sentencing, Mr Millard said that served as no excuse for Croaker-Merrin’s foul-mouthed offending.
“She asked you to turn you phone to flight mode and you continued to send a text message... you suggested she was harassing you and also used offensive language toward her,” he said.
“Your response to her was rude and insensitive, and indicative of you simply not accepting she was simply performing her job.”
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