Perth ATIS...

[MinimaNoContact]

Here's one I haven't seen before...

ATIS YPPH U 220750
RWY: 03
+ OPR INFO: TOWER 120.5 NOT AVBL DUE BOGUS TRANSMISSIONS..
CONTACT TOWER ON 121.7.
TAXY AND CLEARANCE DELIVERY ON 118.55.
RWY 06 NOT AVBL DUE WIP.
DEP FREQUENCY 118.7
WND: 040/10
WX: CAVOK
TMP: 41
QNH: 1009

[Agent86]

Yep,

Some #$#$ transmitting on twr freq as I was on short finals this arvo. Below the towers line of sight/radio reception so they weren't getting it but ac in cct were. Hope they nail him asap.

[DirtyPierre]

Maybe it's Bill or Ted doing the "bogus" transmissions.

Party on, dude!

[Capn Bloggs]

You blokes are mistaken: it was Boyd Munro quacking on guard!

Agent 86, did you do that "LANDING"???!!!

[Agent86]

Bloggs,

You know ANY instructor always blames his student :D

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

Or maybe "Otis" has a sense of humour? Didn't know "bogus" was in his vocabulary!

And temp 41, that was true *swelter*:\

[High Altitude]

Once heard Jingle Bells playing on an approach frequency one Chrissy...

[Quokka]

Agent86,

Twas probably a Plane Spotter with a hand-held in the carpark as you crossed the fence-line... if so, I hope one of the other Plane Spotters in a car nearby hears him do it, get's out of their car and decks the :mad: !!!!

[Jamair]

:mad: Ah yes; remember this happening a few (10+) years ago at Tamworth, some **** telling aircraft to 'go around' when they had landing clearance and were on (very) short final......:* turned out to be a 16 year old d!ickhead who lived adjacent the airport, had a fixation with flying and owned a hand-held transceiver.

[Agent86]

Feedback today from the AFP.

Seems they have got their man.

Time will tell..Hopefully there are no copycats around.

Anyone know what the fine is for unauthorised Tx ??

[SkySista]

News today in Perth said a 19 y.o. bloke busted in a surveillance op at a shopping centre (?) with a handheld of some type.

Been charged with interfering with aircraft transmission/navigation (or similar), making fraudulent radio transmissions and intent to prejudice aircraft safety (whatever that means :rolleyes: ) No mention of fines or jail time. Wonder what penalty will get handed down?

Hope they get the little :mad: good (rather than a slap on the wrist as is all too common these days); it ain't smart & it ain't funny....

Sky

[olderbutyzer]

Anyone know what the fine is for unauthorised Tx ??

Don't know about a monetary fine, but inserting the handheld into a certain bodily orifice of the guilty party's body (NOT his mouth!) would be fine by me! :E

[Islander Jock]

A 19 year old Lynwood man has been arrested by Australian Federal Police for making bogus radio transmissions to pilots and air traffic control at Perth airport.

AFP agents will allege the man made a number of hoax transmissions on March 22 and March 23.

He was arrested late on Thursday after a surveillance operation at a shopping centre carpark.

The man has been charged with using a transmitter in a way likely to interfere with radio communications, knowing such interference was likely to prejudice the safe operation of an aircraft, under the Radio Communications Act 1992.

Federal agents will allege some of the transmissions contained threats to the safety of aircraft, and calls impersonating pilots asked for clearances to enter controlled air space, for landings and to cross active runways.

Air Services Australia spokesman David Gray said commercial pilots had recognised the caller as an imposter, ignored his instructions and alerted air traffic control, which had changed frequencies.

The man will appear in Perth Magistrate's Court on March 30.

I'm off next week so might wander into town for some courtroom enertainment. Can anyone suggest how to identify by the court listings which beak this pest is likely to front?:E

[farqueue]

Should be in Mondays West. Depending on where he was sprung, it could be at CLC in the Terace, Midland, Armidate or perhaps they have the Federal Magistrates Crt going at Vic Ave. It will have to be listed in the court notices anyway. May be hard to find without a name though, have not heard of that being released yet.

Wasn't a sprog? So it would then be in the Childrens Crt.

[The Voice]

Usually the Perth Magistrates Court will only sit in one building. Unless the name was mentioned in the news article, you won't be able to tell from the callover list that appears in the paper which court he will appear in.

In the Court building foyer, there will be a list detailing defendants names' court room numbers' and the offence(s) that the person is appearing for.

My suggestion is to attend the building, seek out the list, read the offences and work out from that where he is.

It is usual for one court being used as a callover court or bail/arrest court where matters are mentioned for the first time, and where police bail is converted to court bail .. on the other hand look for the gaggle of journo's and ride their tailcoats .. it'd be unliike them to know not where the bloke is appearing ..

For info, federal matters can be heard in the magistrates court, but a federal DPP prosecutor will handle the matter in place of a state or police prosecutor.

[NAMPS]

The sh1ithead is lucky he was only charged under the Radio Communication Act. Under s192 of that Act, he could be put away for a maximum of 5 years.

If he was charged under the Crimes (Aviation) Act, he could end up in gaol for up to 14 years (section 19).

[Islander Jock]

G'day Voice,

Thanks for the advice.

I will head into St Georges Tce tomorrow and see if I can find the case on the listings.
Probably won't amount to much anyway. If he is called to plea and goes guilty then it will probably be adjourned for quite a while for sentencing.:bored:

Send memo to self to not let anyone play with my Icom handheld:D

[The Voice]

hiya IJ glad to be of assistance!

If you can't decipher the list, head over to the registry and ask them to help you work out who/where ..

I'd be very surprised if he was asked to plead guilty on the 1st mention .. but it is possible.

Perhaps you'd be so kind to post the result(s) of your expedition here ..

NAMPS is there much differing in the points of proof between the two sections/acts? In any case the penalties are max's and you and I both know that the max. is hardly ever meted out for (and I'm assuming this) a young person without any prior like offending ..

Be interesting to hear the full facts, and not just those reported in the West!

[Islander Jock]

Teen hoax radio charges
March 30, 2004

A TEENAGER has made a brief appearance in a Perth court after being charged with making hoax radio transmissions to aircraft and the control tower at Perth airport.

Scott Bradley Pike, 19, from the southern suburb of Lynwood, was arrested by Australian Federal Police (AFP) agents last week after conducting a surveillance operation at a local shopping centre.

At Perth magistrate's court this morning, Pike was not required to plead to one charge of using a transmitter in a way likely to interfere with radio communications.

The AFP will allege Pike made a number of bogus transmissions on radio control frequencies over two days earlier this month.

The transmissions were allegedly purported to be from aircraft seeking clearances to enter controlled airspace, land, and cross active runways

Federal agents will also allege some transmissions contained threats to the safety of the aircraft.

Magistrate Terrance McIntyre bailed Pike to appear in court again in three weeks.

AAP

[NAMPS]

The Voice I recently had a case in the West run by a Commonwealth Agency (in respect of a federal offence) in a WA state court. Basically the procedural aspects are governed by state law.

My understanding is, if he pleads guilty at the first opportunity, then he will automatically get 2/3 off any sentence he would otherwise have received.

As for the difference between the two Acts. It's interesting to note that the Crimes (Aviation) Act provides "absolute liability applies to the physical element of circumstance of the offence"

As you would know, there is no requirement to prove intent for absolute liability. It is only necessary to prove he did the act of endangering aircraft (ie transmit bogus calls).

The Radio Communication Act requires proof of intent.

It will be interesting to see what happens.

[The Voice]

IJ

thanks for the info .. be interesting to see how this unfolds. from memory something similar happened a few years ago when I was in PH ATS ..

NAMPS

Interesting .. here it's 25% for a plea at the earliest opportunity.

I did have a very quick look at the sections/acts and noted the reference re physical element, and admit that I didn't have the time to investigate the definition of physical. I took it to mean as in something other than a voice transmission.

When I get the opportunity to properly ferret around a bit, I shall. There would be a darn good reason as to why the seemingly more serious charge isn't being proceeded with.

I guess as with all things court wise, they can only ever charge/proceed against someone with what they are most likely able to win ..

[Islander Jock]

Voice,
I went into Central Law Courts thismorning but the court lists only had names and courtroom numbers so it was a bit of a lost cause.

So to pass time I wandered into Court 37 for a bit of a giggle. Defendant in the dock was before the Magistrate for trespass and I think attempted break and enter of motor vehicle. I loved the defence lawyers plea. "My client didn't have his watch on so he was attempting to open the car door to see the time on the car's clock":D :D

WRT our would be pilot practicing his RTP. Well at least with a name now it will be easier, should I have the urge, to be a spectator at his next appearance.

:E

[NAMPS]

Voice, certainly agree...without knowing the facts we can only speculate. All will be revealed.

I must admit that I too only briefly looked at the sections. I read "physical" as meaning the 'doing' of any act which endangered an aircraft - perhaps that interpretation is too broad but it is an interesting point.

IJ, that plea sounds more like clutching at straws. I heard a few imaginative ones but that is a classic :ok:

I would love to hear what the Magistrate's response was.

[MoFo]

Islander Jock.

The sad thing is that Hizzonna probably believed the defence lawyer. The law is an ass.

[TheStormyPetrel]

An easy throw-away line, MoFo. Any reason for suggesting that?

[The Voice]

Stormy so eloquently asked .. my thoughts exactly.

However I couldn't contain my ascerbic tongue enough to trust myself to post ..

[NAMPS]

The next instalment:

Teen faces jail over hoax
By staff writers
April 20, 2004

TEENAGER today admitted threatening to blow up planes in the skies above Western Australia during a string of bizarre transmissions made to air traffic controllers and pilots operating from Perth Airport.

For two days in March this year, 19-year-old Scott Bradley Pike used a VHF radio transceiver to broadcast threatening, erratic and garbled messages to the tower at Perth Airport and pilots in the air.

Perth Court of Petty Sessions was today told Pike was under the influence of both alcohol and cannabis when he broadcast the series of messages, including: "I am going to bring back explosives and blow up all of you bastards."

Later the same day he told operators of another aircraft to bail out because they were on fire.

Interspersed among the alarming messages were requests to enter controlled airspace, cross active runways and clearances to land, as well as nursery rhymes.

Commonwealth prosecutor Alisdair Putt said during an interview with agents from the Australian Federal Police, Pike admitted to making the transmissions "to see if he could do it".

After realising he could do it – when pilots began complaining and reports began appearing on the local news – Pike stopped.

"The defendant said he was unaware that pilots could hear what he was saying. He desisted when he realised they could hear him," Mr Putt told the court.

Magistrate Richard Bromfield was told that as well as causing concern to pilots and air traffic controllers, the transmissions caused a considerable amount of extra work.

AFP agents arrested Pike at a shopping centre car park near his home in Lynwood, after conducting a surveillance operation.

At the time of Pike's arrest, AFP national manager of protection Tony Negus said they viewed the offences as very serious.

"We cannot tolerate activities that create potentially dangerous situations and cause alarm in the aviation industry and the wider community," he said.

Pike, 19, today pleaded guilty to two charges under the 1992 Radiocommunications Act, of illegally using a transmitter without a licence, and in a manner likely to prejudice the safety of an aircraft.

A report into Pike's psychological state was requested by his lawyer.

Pike was bailed to appear again for sentencing next month. He faces up to two years in prison or more than $13,000 in fines, or both.

AAP

From: http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,9337798%255E2,00.html

[TheStormyPetrel]

Fake air controller faces jail term

A 19-year-old man faces a possible jail term after admitting he threatened to blow up aircraft during bogus radio transmissions to pilots and air traffic control at Perth Airport.

Scott Bradley Pike, of Lynwood, pleaded guilty in Perth Magistrate's Court yesterday to charges of knowingly or recklessly disrupting radio communications and knowingly or recklessly operating radio communications without a licence.

Commonwealth prosecutor Alisdair Putt told the court that, over a two-day period in March, Pike used a VHF radio transceiver to broadcast threatening and erratic messages to both pilots and Perth Airport's air traffic control tower.

In one broadcast, Pike said he was going to "bring back explosives and blow up all of you bastards".

Later the same day he told pilots in another plane to bale out because their aircraft was on fire.

Some of the hoax transmissions contained threats to the safety of aircraft, and calls impersonating pilots asked for clearances to enter controlled airspaces, for landings and to cross active runways. Pike claimed he was affected by cannabis and alcohol at the time and could not remember saying particular things.

Commercial pilots were concerned but recognised the caller as an impostor, ignored his instructions and alerted air traffic control, which then changed frequencies.

Pike was arrested by Australian Federal Police agents last month after a surveillance operation at a Lynwood shopping centre carpark.

He was charged under the Radio Communications Act 1992.

The maximum penalty for each summary offence is a one-year jail term and a $6600 fine.

Magistrate Richard Bromfield ordered a psychological report and remanded Pike on bail to be sentenced on May 20.

From the West (http://www.thewest.com.au/20040421/news/general/tw-news-general-home-sto123615.html)