Man blacklisted after airport bomb joke

A man who joked he had a bomb in his bag has landed himself in court and has been blacklisted from Air New Zealand flights .

Stewart George Dempsey (58), of Napier, appeared in the Invercargill District Court yesterday facing a charge of endangering transport in relation to an incident at Invercargill Airport last Friday.

The airport was evacuated after ‘‘the joke’’.

The charge sheet stated Dempsey interfered with a transport facility, namely Invercargill Airport, with reckless disregard for the safety of the public.

The Otago Daily Times understands he allegedly made the joke when a staff member asked if he had any bags to check in, and he pointed to the bags and said it was the one which had bombs in it.

Duty lawyer David Slater said Dempsey had been blacklisted by Air New Zealand and banned from Invercargill Airport.

Dempsey would have to drive home, he said.

Judge Michael Turner remanded the man without a plea and prohibited him from entering or driving within 1km of Invercargill Airport.

Dempsey’s next appearance is scheduled for February 26.

INVERCARGILL: