Posted on 06/25/2006 11:00:04 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
NUDITY, streaking and sex in public were common practice on the cruise ship on which Brisbane woman Dianne Brimble died, the ship's former night manager has told an inquest.
A naked Mrs Brimble was found dead on the floor of a cabin of the Pacific Sky less than 24 hours after she boarded the cruise liner on September 23, 2002. She died of an overdose of the date rape drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or fantasy, while on a holiday with family and friends.
Eight Adelaide men are considered persons of interest in the case – Mark Wilhelm, Matthew Slade, Dragan Losic, Petar Pantic, Ryan Kuchel, Letterio Silvestri, Luigi Vitale and Sakelaros Kambouris.
Kathleen Ann Taylor, who was the night manager on that cruise, today told the Glebe Coroner's Court that streaking and sex outdoors was frequently engaged in by both males and females onboard.
Photographs of Mr Wilhelm in a hallway wearing only a lifejacket have previously been presented at the inquest.
"If you were to write up every person that was running around naked there would be 15 to 20 (security) log books," Ms Taylor told the inquest.
"Sometimes there was 15 to 20 a night."
Ms Taylor also said she would often have to separate couples caught engaging in sex acts in public.
"An explanation was given like 'come on man, you're doing the wrong thing, there's children around'," she said.
Asked if these practices were common during her more than 10 years working on board cruise ships, she said: "All the time".
She finished working for P&O in December 2004.
Ms Taylor also told the inquest one of her security guards was caught socialising with passengers while on duty the night Mrs Brimble died.
She said Olsen Va'afusuaga told her Mrs Brimble was sitting with him and a group of men at the ship's Starlight Disco.
Ms Taylor said Mr Va'afusuaga told her that he observed Mrs Brimble rubbing the inner thigh of one of men.
Ms Taylor said Mr Va'afusuaga told her: "Some guy asked her for a massage and she said no, and he swore at her."
The security guard then allegedly told the man that he should not speak to women that way.
The security guard allegedly said: "We don't speak to ladies like that around here."
Earlier, Deputy State Coroner Jacqueline Milledge and Counsel assisting the coroner Ron Hoenig called on two security guards to come forward with what they said is critical evidence about the culture aboard the cruise ship.
The inquest continues.
Capt. Stubing would NOT be impressed!
All the cruises I've been on have apparently been quite boring.
Tired of boring cruises?
I reckon it'll work!
I have always wondered about the association of GHB with "date rape" drugs. The effect of GHB is completely indistinguishable from alcohol.
Of course, plenty of suspect amorous activity has happened when plied with alcohol, so perhaps it is appropriate...
Apparently being near water does this to people. I live in Oklahoma right near Lake Texoma. The stories I hear of what people do on "the islands" during holiday weekends is a little out of the ordinary for a state where even the dirt is red.
The boat trip I took to Kangaroo Island was uneventfull. I want my money back!
Guess that way to go was better than being tossed overboard like so many others.
What about the FREEPSAhoy cruises then, eh (nudge, nudge, wink,wink)?
Don't they have lifeboats with covers on them?
Seem like there would be a little more privacy.
Oh that's right, they didn't want privacy they wanted the excitement of getting caught!
Dummies...
Actually, I think the Love Boat had something to do with love.
This is pure hedonism . . . rather selfish hedonism, as I read it.
Somehow I'm reminded of "One Particular Harbor."
I thought this was about my last ship, The USS Eisenhower. /s
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