A man has avoided punishment after he told a judge that he thought it would be ‘funny’ to let his son ride a baggage carousel and did not realise it was a crime.
The 58-year-old business owner from Brisbane, who could not be named for legal reasons, coaxed his son onto the carousel while waiting for bags at Canberra’s airport on July 2.
Officers spotted the 14-year-old hopping onto the carousel on CCTV footage and reprimanded his dad several days later when the family returned to go home.
It was also filmed by the boy’s younger sibling, who surrendered his footage to police when his ‘shocked’ dad was spoke to by police on July 9.
The man was charged with aiding and abetting entry to security restricted areas in an airport, which he pleaded guilty to at ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
A 58-year-old businessman from Brisbane who coaxed his son onto a baggage carousel avoided a $15,000 fine after a judge found that there was no ill-intent behind the joke
Magistrate Jane Campbell dismissed the charge after the father agreed that he did not realise the criminality of the situation.
His lawyer, Satomi Hamon, told the court that her client ‘did not try to minimise the conduct, and acknowledged the danger’ of the act.
But the prosecution insisted that a message needed to be sent to the public about the seriousness of airport security.
‘Security at an airport is of a paramount concern. It’s very lucky something didn’t occur to the child,’ Commonwealth prosecutor Natasha Purvis said, as reported by the ABC.
‘It is important there is a strong message sent to the public; a direction about an airport is to be followed and not treated as a joke.’
If found guilty the man faced a $15,000 fine.
Ms Hamon argued that her client had no ill intentions and simply ‘didn’t appreciate the seriousness of it at the time’.
She told the court that her client was especially concerned about the impact that a conviction would have on his ability to travel.
The stunt was also filmed by the boy’s younger brother, who surrendered his footage to police when the family was spoken to by police when they tried to go home on July 9
Magistrate Campbell agreed with Ms Hamon, finding that the man was ‘someone of excellent character’ and that it would be ‘inexpedient to inflict further punishment’.
‘It is a matter where it demonstrates a lapse in judgement rather than anything else,’ she said.
‘I consider that in this case it was clearly intended to be done as a joke.’
Ms Campbell noted that the man had previously engaged with charity work, had no criminal history and had not exhibited any anti-social behaviour.
The charge was dismissed and no conviction was recorded.
‘He’s learnt a very important lesson, as no doubt has his son,’ Ms Campbell said.
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