Sacked after bomb 'joke' at Aberdeen Airport
19.09.07
A Portuguese oil worker, who was sacked from his job after joking with Aberdeen Airport staff that he had a bomb in his bag, was fined £600 yesterday. Carlos Martins, 30, told staff he had a 'small bomb' in his luggage as he was being checked-in for a helicopter flight offshore. But he was arrested when alarmed workers at Scotia Helicopter Terminal at the airport called in police.
Fiscal depute Zoe McDonnell said: 'The accused turned up at the desk to check in for his flight. He was asked the normal security questions and asked whether he had any sharp items in his bag. He replied: "Just a small bomb".'
'The police were called in and he was searched. He told them he was only making a joke. The terminal was busy with a large number of passengers waiting for flights to various support vessels in the North Sea.'
His solicitor, David Sutherland, said Martins had made the comment in jest and did not mean to cause alarm. Mr. Sutherland said: 'The staff member had tried to humour him and told him that he should not be saying things like that.'
'She then checked his details and his bag was searched. She told a colleague who then called police. On the back of this incident, he was dismissed by his employers. His remark cost him his employment. It was an ill-conceived remark.'
Noble Drilling bosses sacked him after he committed the breach of the peace on 4 July. Mr. Martins now lives with his parents in Portugal. His court case was dealt with in his absence yesterday because he said that he could not afford to return to Scotland. He was fined £600, which he must pay within four months, when the case was called at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday.
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