Elderly man rebuked for flight-halting knife on plane

October 1

An elderly doctor has been admonished in court for bringing a box-cutter on a long-distance flight to treat his skin condition, causing hours-long delays for hundreds of fellow passengers.

Adrian Francis Rodney Russell was spotted with the potential weapon at Sydney International Airport on July 23, 2024 as his United Airlines plane taxied out to the runway to take off to Los Angeles.

The 75-year-old took the blade out of his black toiletries bag, where it was placed along with his medications, and placed it on the tray table in front of his seat.

It was spotted and seized by a passing flight attendant, who passed it onto the US air marshals aboard the plane.

The device contained an 8cm-long blade, according to an agreed statement of facts tendered in court.

“(The) knife had a substantial amount of dirty stains on it,” the document said.

The plane was returned to the terminal, all passengers were required to be screened again through security and police searched the plane for any other prohibited items, delaying the departure by two hours and 40 minutes.

Australian Federal Police officers interviewed Dr Russell, who was hit with one charge of possessing a prohibited item on board an aircraft.

The 75-year-old doctor, who runs a pathology clinic out of his home in Terrigal, on the NSW Central Coast, pleaded guilty in September.

He appeared from his home by video-link for sentence at Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday with numerous pieces of artwork seen hanging behind him.

Dr Russell told police he had not noticed the blade until he opened his medicine pouch on the plane.

He said he used the knife to open letters and as a “habitual scratching implement” to peel scabs and dead skin from his hand and arm because of a dermatitis-type condition.

His lawyer Kim Stapleton and crown prosecutor Kristen Wakefield agreed Dr Russell did not need to be convicted for the crime.

Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson concurred, finding the offence proven but dismissing the case without conviction.

In handing down the sentence, she took into account his age, complete lack of criminal history, good character, co-operation with the authorities and remorse.

While the AFP had done their jobs properly by taking these kinds of offences seriously and charging Dr Russell, Ms Atkinson said his actions were at the low end of seriousness.

But she still reprimanded the 75-year-old, saying he needed to take extra care to check his hand luggage before boarding a flight.

“It’s simply not appropriate to have these things on a plane,” she said.

The maximum penalty for the offence is a $6260 fine.

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