http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Sto...ry_212007.html
March 1, 2008
Pilot on bail can't leave yet
AN AUSTRALIAN pilot charged with flying a float plane into Singapore airspace without a valid certificate has been denied permission be at the bedside of his ailing mother.
Rhys Henry Thomas was hoping yesterday to travel to a hospital in New South Wales where his mother was warded following a heart attack. But the 59-year-old's application to leave Singapore was dismissed by district judge John Ng.
Thomas was charged on Thursday with flying an Australian-registered float plane to Singapore on Jan 22 without a valid airworthiness certificate. Two Republic of Singapore Air Force fighter jets escorted his Cessna 208 Caravan to Changi Airport, which was closed for 50 minutes amid security fears.
Yesterday, his lawyer, Mr Salem Ibrahim, renewed his application for Thomas to leave the country, handing the court a letter from a doctor treating his client's 83-year-old mother, who has been warded since Feb 20.
Thomas had his passport with him for five weeks, but it was impounded on Thursday when he was released on $10,000 bail.
Deputy public prosecutor Lee Cheow Han objected to the application, and said Thomas' reason for leaving was not compelling enough. He said Thomas, who has no roots here, could contact his family members and mother by phone, video calls, fax or e-mail.
A pre-trial conference originally scheduled for March 13 has been moved up to next Friday.