Man fined $5k over ruckus at Changi Airport after misplacing mobile phone

SINGAPORE - A man on board a Singapore Airlines flight realised his phone was missing and

caused a ruckus at Changi Airport Terminal 3,

only to find the device under his seat later.

Briton Richard Michael Roll Burridge, 57, who was offloaded from the London-bound flight, was fined $5,000 on March 20 after he pleaded guilty to one count each of harassment and mischief.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Jun Ya told the court that Burridge was on board the flight around 11.40pm on March 7 when he realised that his phone was missing.

He used another phone to contact his wife and asked her to search for the missing device by using the Find My Phone app.

According to the app, the missing phone was at the departure transit lounge, and Burridge informed an aircraft crew member that he had left it there.

The crew member contacted a female airline officer, who was referred to in court documents as “the victim”, and asked her to help find the device.

The woman then contacted her colleague, who could not find the phone at the lounge.

At around 11.43pm, Burridge disembarked from the plane and approached the victim, who was deployed to the B5 gate-hold room of the terminal as a traffic liaison officer.

DPP Tan said: “The (room) is a secure area to ensure smooth boarding of flights and the victim’s duties included ensuring smooth departure of the accused’s flight. The accused asked to leave (the room) to look for the missing phone himself.

“The victim informed the accused that he would be offloaded if he did so, as the boarding gate was closing. She also informed him that her colleague had done a search at the lounge and did not find any phone.”

Upon hearing this, Burridge became angry and verbally abused the woman with vulgar language.

He then decided to return to the plane.

Burridge and the victim were on an aerobridge when she asked him if he would like to offload himself or continue with the flight.

Feeling upset, the Briton kicked an aerobridge wall panel, which broke, causing more than $1,600 in damage. He then boarded the plane.

The victim’s colleague alerted the police. Meanwhile, Burridge found the missing phone under his seat.

However, his journey to London did not materialise as police officers boarded the plane and asked him to disembark to assist in investigations.

He complied and the plane departed Singapore without any delay.

On March 20, defence lawyer Shashi Nathan told the court that his client had acted out of character and is very sorry for what he had done.

The lawyer also said that Burridge intends to pay for the damage.