Wirraway
22nd Oct 2004, 19:31
Sat "Weekend Australian"
Air-rage miner fined $3000
Paige Taylor
October 23, 2004
A DRUNKEN outburst on board a Qantas flight from Adelaide to Perth last month has cost a mine worker more than $3000.
Bernard Nikpalj, 34, drank five or six small bottles of wine and was becoming rowdy when airline staff cut off his alcohol supply.
The move prompted a furious outburst in which Nikpalj used abusive language to vent his anger at a female flight attendant.
Perth Magistrates Court heard yesterday that Nikpalj left his seat and became unruly while waiting for his drinks order to arrive.
He complained, then approached the flight attendant who at one point feared he was going to attack her.
Nikpalj then verbally abused fellow passengers who had begun to stare at him, the court was told.
Five passengers helped to restrain and handcuff Nikpalj.
He was taken to the back row of the plane, where he continued to hurl abuse.
Nikpalj pleaded guilty to behaving in an offensive and disorderly manner.
Magistrate Richard Bromfield fined him $3000 and ordered him to pay costs of about $200.
His lawyer, Andrew Monisse, told the court that Nikpalj was remorseful.
The father-of-three, who works in the north of Western Australia, was distressed at the time of the offence because his father, whom he had just visited in Adelaide, was dying of cancer.
On the night of the flight he was also upset as a result of problems in his relationship with his then de facto partner.
Magistrate Bromfield said Nikpalj's actions were worse because they happened on a plane.
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Air-rage miner fined $3000
Paige Taylor
October 23, 2004
A DRUNKEN outburst on board a Qantas flight from Adelaide to Perth last month has cost a mine worker more than $3000.
Bernard Nikpalj, 34, drank five or six small bottles of wine and was becoming rowdy when airline staff cut off his alcohol supply.
The move prompted a furious outburst in which Nikpalj used abusive language to vent his anger at a female flight attendant.
Perth Magistrates Court heard yesterday that Nikpalj left his seat and became unruly while waiting for his drinks order to arrive.
He complained, then approached the flight attendant who at one point feared he was going to attack her.
Nikpalj then verbally abused fellow passengers who had begun to stare at him, the court was told.
Five passengers helped to restrain and handcuff Nikpalj.
He was taken to the back row of the plane, where he continued to hurl abuse.
Nikpalj pleaded guilty to behaving in an offensive and disorderly manner.
Magistrate Richard Bromfield fined him $3000 and ordered him to pay costs of about $200.
His lawyer, Andrew Monisse, told the court that Nikpalj was remorseful.
The father-of-three, who works in the north of Western Australia, was distressed at the time of the offence because his father, whom he had just visited in Adelaide, was dying of cancer.
On the night of the flight he was also upset as a result of problems in his relationship with his then de facto partner.
Magistrate Bromfield said Nikpalj's actions were worse because they happened on a plane.
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