Cruises need police, Brimble inquest hears

Federal police officers should be on board cruise ships to help prevent criminal
activity, the inquest into the 2002 death of passenger Dianne Brimble has heard.
Ron Hoenig, counsel assisting the coroner, also said monitored electronic
surveillance should be considered for cruise ships sailing to and from Australia.
He said the use of such technology may have saved the life of Ms Brimble, 42, who
died aboard a P&O cruise ship in September 2002 after consuming a toxic mix of the
drug fantasy and alcohol.
In his closing submission on Tuesday, Mr Hoenig told coroner Jacqueline Milledge
that P&O had already implemented a number of policy changes, including doubling
security, fitting ships with state-of-the-art cameras for police use and adopting a
zero-tolerance approach to excessive behaviour.
But more should be done, he said.
"What needs to be fundamentally considered is that cruise ships carry 2000
passengers and crew," Mr Hoenig said, adding that police are provided in towns of
200 to 300 people.
Mr Hoenig said it was inconsistent to have crime scenes managed by the companies
that run cruises, pointing out that bouncers don't investigate incidents that happen
in nightclubs.
"The only way the public can have confidence (in investigations) is if the authority
for that is vested in a police officer.
"Federal police at least should be on board officially to oversight possible
criminal activity and the attendance on board could act as a deterrent."
Earlier in his address, Mr Hoenig told the inquest the truth about Ms Brimble's
death would never be known.
"Your honour will never be able to successfully find the true cause and manner of
Mrs Brimble's death, and that is the result of the ship's purser, Melvyn Armitage,"
he said.
"Had it not been for (him), law enforcement officers may well have been able to
determine what happened."
Mr Hoenig said although medical staff knew Ms Brimble's death was suspicious, Mr
Armitage ordered a guard aside and allowed people back into the cabin where she died
so they could remove their belongings.
As a result, proper forensic examination and evidence would never be available.
But he submitted that Ms Brimble did not voluntarily partake in the acts before the
tragedy, and only did so because she was affected by fantasy.
He urged Ms Milledge to rely on evidence from independent sources who were not
affected by alcohol, rather than evidence from the Adelaide men who were considered
persons of interest during the inquest.
Three of those men were later charged over the death, including Mark Wilhelm, in
whose cabin her naked body was found and with whom she'd had sex.
Wilhelm was charged with manslaughter and supplying Ms Brimble with the illegal drug
GHB.
Earlier this year, he was convicted of supplying the drug after the manslaughter
charge was dropped.
But he escaped a custodial sentence with Justice Roderick Howie declaring that he'd
suffered enough through intense public scrutiny.
Letterio "Leo" Silvestri was given a 15-month suspended sentence after pleading
guilty to concealing a serious indictable offence.
Ryan Kuchel pleaded guilty to making a false and misleading statement to police, and
was given an 18-month good behaviour bond.
The coroner is expected to hand down her findings and recommendations next Tuesday.



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