Life endangered by ferry prank

Press, 31 May 1977, Page 4

Life endangered by ferry prank

i PA Wellington Winds were gusting up to 35 knots, and the Cook Strait ferry Aranui was roll-1 ing markedly in darkness when a student unpinned the safety railing of the ferry and threw it overboard, the Magistrate’s Court in Wellington ; !was told. i Passengers were nearby, i being sick, at the time, said ithe police. i Mr G. P. Monaghan, S.M. fined Mark Eric Jew, aged 19, a student. $175 for destroying the gangway safety railing gate in circumstances where danger to life was likely. I He was also ordered to pay I $2lO compensation for the 'gate. Jew (Mr A. G. Sherriff) had pleaded not guilty to the (charge, but he changed his 'plea to guilty. Sergeant L. J. Shanks said that on May 7 Jew and two ifriends were in the Aranui, (sailing from Picton to Weli lington. (

Just before 10 p.m. they left the bar and went up on ithe mooring deck, where Jew j unpinned the railing and 'threw it overboard. The missing railing was (soon noticed, and the area was roped off. • When questioned by the wharf police later. Jew adimitted throwing the railing 'overboard. Jew’s actions had resulted from a spontaneous moment (of aberration, after drinking, and at the time he had no realisation of the consequences of what he was doing, said counsel. The police had withdrawn charges against the two associates. The Magistrate said this was another case of a student ; showing off under the influence of liquor, and then was no excuse for it. ii “The degree of irrespon isibility is hardly to be con demned strongly enough,'’ h. _[said 2