Bangs and scrapes on vessel lead to court
DRUNKEN SEX ON BOARD LUXURY CHARTER YACHT
A LUXURY yacht hit a channel marker and moored boat before running aground after the skipper had a drunken sex romp with a crew member, a court was told.
The owner of the boat said the $1600-an-hour charter had “more hits than Elvis Presley”.
The stewardess, Cheya Veronica Handley, a former stuntwoman, has denied any wrongdoing. She pleaded not guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court yesterday to two counts of risking the safety of a person or commercial vessel.
Prosecutor Jeffrey Hunter told the court the Crystal Blue hit a stationary vessel and channel marker, ran aground and drifted in circles during its 86km journey from Brisbane to the Gold Coast on March 3 last year.
Jeremy Kane Piggott, also known as JJ, was skipper and Handley was the stewardess.
“The skipper was heavily intoxicated and so was Handley,” Mr Hunter said. “There was a period of time where the two were engaged in sexual intercourse.”
In August, Piggott, 46, pleaded guilty to two counts of master recklessly contravening his duty to ensure safety of vessels, marine safety equipment or operations. He was fined $4000 and placed on a good behaviour bond for two years.
The pair were bringing the luxury boat back from a fourhour charter in Brisbane, where guests had partied with topless waitresses, the court was told yesterday.
Crystal Blue’s owner at the time, Grant Wharington, said he told Piggott to come to the moored luxury yacht at Marina Mirage the next day, after noticing a number of scratches on both sides of the boat.
“(Piggott) looked like death, he looked like he had a huge hangover,” he said. “All he said to me was: ‘I thought we might have hit something.’ ”
Mr Wharington said the boat looked like it had “more hits than Elvis Presley”.
The Crystal Blue Yacht Charters website states the yacht costs more than $1600 an hour to charter and has previously hosted Canadian singer Shawn Mendes and a Victoria’s Secret model.
In an interview with Maritime Safety Queensland marine officer Stephen Knowles, played to the court, Handley said the vessel grounded multiple times during the night. She said just before 3am she went on to the bow with Piggott, where they had sex.
“He was using the remote (to drive the boat) while you guys were being intimate?” Mr Knowles asked. “Yes,” Handley replied.
Handley said in the interview the crashes did not happen while the pair were having sex.
The court was told the owner found an empty bottle of vodka on the Crystal Blue the next day.
Defence barrister David Funch, instructed by Howden Saggers Lawyers, argued Handley’s interview with Mr Knowles should not be admissible in court because the stewardess was “coerced”.
Handley said her boss, Mr Wharington, told her she needed to talk to marine investigators to keep her job. “I felt pressured and coerced into it,” she said.
Handley told the court she had only two conversations with Mr Wharington about doing the interview. Mr Wharington said it would have been “obvious” what they wanted. He said Mr Knowles told him Handley’s statement was needed and it would be good for her.
Magistrate Andrew Sinclair will decide today whether the interview will be considered as evidence.