Woman tries to leave plane mid-flight
By Rosemary Desmond
November 21, 2005
A DRUNKEN French tourist with a fear of flying tried to open an Australia-bound jet passenger door in mid-flight to have a cigarette, a Brisbane court has heard.
Sadrine Helene Sellies, 34, was placed on a good behaviour bond after pleading guilty in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today to endangering the safety of an aircraft.
The court was told Sellies was on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Brisbane on Saturday when the incident occurred.
She was seen walking towards one of the aircraft's emergency exits with an unlit cigarette and a lighter in her hand and began tampering with the door.
But a flight attendant intervened and took Sellies back to her seat.
Sellies was watched closely until the plane landed in Brisbane, where it was met by Australian Federal Police and she was arrested and charged.
Defence lawyer Helen Shilton told the court Sellies had been terrified of flying and had taken sleeping tablets and alcohol before takeoff.
She had no memory of what had happened on the flight and also had a history of sleepwalking, Ms Shilton said.
Ms Shilton said Sellies, who did not speak in court and was aided by a translator, probably would have escaped prosecution were it not for concerns about terrorism.
But Magistrate Gordon Dean warned Sellies she must behave appropriately when travelling on an aircraft.
"You must understand if you are on a plane you must behave yourself ... otherwise," he said.
The conviction was recorded against Sellies and she was placed on a $1000 good behaviour bond for 12 months.
Sellies, accompanied by her husband, would not comment to waiting media outside court.
The couple is on a three-week holiday in Australia.