Originally Posted by
arthur harbrow
I have never posted on rumours and news before being only an interested slf.However, I really cannot see what good a prison sentence would serve in this case.
This man has already lost his job and who knows what else.
I noted the magistrate stated as a pilot his actions were worse than driving a car in this condition, I would disagree.Surely in the cockpit his fellow crew members would have prevented him from killing everyone.
I consider Alcohol related problems to be a health issue and have a significant sympathy for anyone with a problem.
That sympathy stops when they let it risk the safety of other people.
I agree entirely that fatigue is a much more significant problem but that does not excuse other kinds of breaches.
The suggestion that "his fellow crew-members would have stopped him from killing anyone" is absolute bunkum as an argument in this case - he's onboard to support them as part of the crew not to be a burden to them. What happens if it's him that's needed to step up and stop them killing everyone if they make a mistake, become fatigued or become incapacitated?
As for prison - I don't think that in his direct case it will be necessary but as part of the wider issue I think there is a strong justification for a prison sentence to underline to everyone else in this industry that this is not acceptable.
Once again - This Gentleman has my genuine sympathy if he is suffering from Alcoholism. I personally hope they give him a suspended prison sentence, but a custodial one would be entirely warranted.