Moncrieff Marli Curtis Philip arriving at State Courts on Jan 14, 2025. - Photo: ST
SINGAPORE: An Australian man who stopped over in Singapore before flying to Phuket had his holiday cut short when the Thai authorities barred him from entering their country as his passport had a page of visas torn out.
Marli Curtis Philip Moncrieff, 36, returned to Singapore shortly before 1.30am on Nov 20, 2024, but was also denied entry into the country for the same reason.
About four hours later, he was escorted to an aerobridge at Changi Airport to board a Jetstar flight back to Perth.
Upset at the turn of events, he said: “I want the aircraft to crash and kill everyone.”
Moncrieff was removed from the flight. He later told his girlfriend who was with him: “If they put me on another flight, I will tell them I will crash the plane again.”
He was arrested soon after.
On Wednesday (Jan 15), Moncrieff was sentenced to eight weeks’ jail after he pleaded guilty to a harassment charge.
Before handing down the sentence, Principal District Judge Toh Han Li stressed that the case involved threats pertaining to aviation security, and added: “Words can have serious consequences.”
The judge also noted that Moncrieff had made the threats on more than one occasion.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Shaun Lim told the court that after Moncrieff flew back to Singapore from Thailand, officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) helped him retrieve his medication, ordinarily prescribed for depression and anxiety, from his checked-in luggage.
Arrangements were then made for him to return to Australia on a Jetstar flight that was scheduled to depart at 6.55am on Nov 20, 2024.
The DPP said: “The accused was very upset at this turn of events, as he had planned this holiday for some time, and it had cost him a good deal of money.”
Moncrieff, who was the first person to be asked to board the plane later that morning, then said that he wanted the aircraft to crash.
A flight attendant felt alarmed when she heard him. She spoke to her managers and the captain, who decided to remove Moncrieff from the flight as a precaution.
His belongings were also searched but nothing incriminating was found.
He was handed over to the Singapore authorities and was taken to an arrival immigration counter at Changi Airport Terminal 4.
After that, he was asked to wait at a nearby lounge area for another flight at the airline’s expense.
While waiting there, his girlfriend brought over some food and they had a conversation.
At or around 7.40am, an ICA officer overheard him telling the woman that he would crash the plane.
Alarmed, the officer asked Moncrieff about what he had just said, and the Australian man reiterated: “If they put me on another flight, I will tell them I will crash the plane again.”
DPP Lim told the court: “The accused was agitated when he stated this, although he did not raise his voice or use vulgarities. (The officer) tried to calm the accused down in order to facilitate his repatriation.”
However, Moncrieff was still upset, and repeatedly said: “I don’t want to go home, send me to jail, I want to die.”
The officer once again asked him to confirm that if he was put on another flight, he would tell the cabin crew that he would crash the plane.
Moncrieff replied: “Yes, I do not want to get another flight.”
The officer discussed the matter with her colleagues and the police were alerted. He was later arrested at or around 5.15pm that day.
On Jan 15, Moncrieff was represented by pro-bono lawyers Kevin Ho and Benedict Koh, who pleaded for him to be given between one and two weeks’ jail.
Koh also told the court that their client is remorseful and sorry for what he had done. - The Straits Times/ANN
