A Humpty Doo fisherman will spend Christmas in jail following ‘slavery’ claims
A Northern Territory fisherman is in jail after slavery allegations were levelled against him after a four month investigation sparked by a Qld Police rescue.
Police & Courts
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A crew member jumped into croc-infested waters in the middle of the night to escape a fishing boat and its owner, Australian Federal Police allege.
The Humpty Doo, Northern Territory fishing boat owner will spend Christmas behind bars after being charged with servitude and forced labour offences by the AFP.
Northern Coastal Fisheries owner Daniel Schoolmeester faces 14 charges from four alleged victims following his arrest on board his boat off the Maningrida coast on Wednesday evening after authorities allegedly received a distress call.
Mr Schoolmeester has been charged with causing a person to enter or remain in forced labour, causing a person to enter or remain in servitude and deceptive recruiting for labour or services.
He faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.
Seeking bail, defence lawyer Peter Maley said Mr Schoolmeester’s mother and partner were in court to support him and he could serve a form of home detention while waiting for trial.
“It’s a pretty serious allegation to make effectively servitude or slavery,” he said.
“There are a number of other staff who’ve worked with him over the years.
“I understand the employees here had separate ABN numbers and signed contracts. There was a profit share arrangement I understand the police have that material.
“His wife said all the material was prepared so each of the employees was told what they were in for, so it’s not a strong case.
“The allegations are serious but there’s certainly another side of things which I think will prove a different light.”
Prosecutor Annabelle Bridgland opposed bail.
In a media statement Australian Federal Police said an investigation began in August after information was received from Queensland Police regarding two alleged victims rescued from a fishing vessel.
On December 19 police received a distress call in regards to a person on-board Mr Schoolmeester’s boat who claimed they had been starved and threatened with being thrown overboard.
The following day NT Police located the boat in the Arafura Sea and Mr Schoolmeester was arrested.
The victim was allegedly malnourished when rescued from the vessel.
AFP and NT Police later executed search warrants on the vessel and the man’s Humpty Doo home, where a number of electronic and physical items were seized.
These items will be subject to further forensic examination.
Police will allege Mr Schoolmeester posted job advertisements on social media site Gumtree for deckhands and coxswains.
The statement said a number of additional alleged victims had been identified by police, who reported that once on-board, Mr Schoolmeester allegedly made them work without pay, mistreated and threatened them and denied them a chance to leave the boat.
This allegedly included providing his victims with minimal food and water, making them work extensive hours with little sleep, subjecting them to cruel and degrading treatment and threatening to throw them overboard into dangerous conditions.
Federal Police will allege one victim jumped from the man’s vessel in the middle of the night in crocodile invested waters to escape.
Chief Judge Elizabeth Morris refused bail pending an assessment for electronic monitoring and adjourned the case for a second bail hearing on December 29.
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