Uni Lecturer Gets Off after Punching Jetstar Crew.
Uni Lecturer Gets Off after Punching Jetstar Crew.
From the Age:
"Uni lecturer free over airport assault
November 27, 2007 - 3:14PM
A Sydney university lecturer who swore at a Jetstar employee and punched him in the face because she was late for her flight has escaped conviction.
Patricia McManus, 42, of Carlingford, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and swearing in a public place after an incident at Sydney's domestic airport last month.
McManus tried to check in 12 minutes before her Jetstar flight to Hervey Bay, Queensland, was scheduled to leave and started swearing at staff when told she was too late, according to a statement of facts.
McManus later punched the customer service manager twice in the face after he refused to let her back into the terminal.
Magistrate Lee Gilmour said she accepted McManus had acted out of character and was deeply stressed at the time of the offence.
"I understand how you got so angry ... (but) once you got over the initial shock of being denied access to the plane, you calmed down and police said you were extremely contrite," she said.
Ms Gilmour, who recently has come under media scrutiny over the leniency of the penalties she hands down, ordered McManus to pay $70 in court costs.
"At the risk of offending The Daily Telegraph and John Laws' talkback show, I do not need to record a conviction," she said.
"Just be careful, airports are very stressful places for a lot of people."
I guess it goes with the territory these days......