Plea deal offered to Australian involved in Changi Airport scuffle
Australian Jason Peter Darragh tussling with police officers at Changi Airport. Photo: Youtube screencap via Ben Bonifant
SINGAPORE — Prosecutors said they would proceed with four out of 11 charges against a man who was caught on camera scuffling with police officers at Changi Airport last month if he were to plead guilty.
Jason Peter Darragh, 44, did not enter a plea on Thursday (June 8), however, as he did not agree with the sentence prosecutors were seeking for the plea deal.
His lawyer, Mr S S Dhillon, said the sentence sought was “a bit too high”, but did not give more details.
The four charges that the prosecution intends to proceed with against Darragh include one count each of using criminal force, voluntarily causing hurt and using vulgar language on police officers, as well as for causing annoyance while being drunk in public.
The first two offences were allegedly committed on April 20 at the departure hall of Changi Airport Terminal 2. Court documents stated that Darragh was approached by two police officers that day, between 12.15am and 12.30am. He is accused of pushing a police inspector several times, and striking another officer’s face with an open palm.
The third charge of using abusive words on a police officer was allegedly committed on the morning of April 26 at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
The last charge was related to an incident on May 1, when he was said to have caused annoyance while drunk. At about 4.55am that day, Darragh, who was at a taxi stand at Tan Tye Place located near Clarke Quay, allegedly loitered around the area with his hand over his crotch.
The remaining seven charges levied on Darragh would be taken into consideration for sentencing if he pleaded guilty, prosecutors said.
These include three offences allegedly committed in the same incident at the airport on April 20, including using vulgar language on both officers and pushing several baggage trolleys towards one of them.
Among the other charges, Darragh was said to have damaged a mobile phone belonging to a man by throwing it onto the ground and used vulgar language on him on the same day. A day later, Darragh allegedly caused annoyance while he was drunk, at about 4.52am in front of McGettigan’s CQ bar in Clarke Quay.
He was also purportedly drunk and incapable of taking care of himself at around 12.19am on April 26 at a public restroom in Orchard Towers. Later that morning, he ended up at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he allegedly used abusive words on a police officer.
On Thursday, Darragh was offered bail of S$20,000, but his lawyer told the court his client did not want to be bailed out. No reason was given for this. Darragh will appear in court again on July 6.
