By Khushwant Singh
A YOUNG woman charged with trying to open a plane door in
mid-flight was allowed out on bail of $5,000 on Wednesday, after
spending nearly a month in remand.
Diana Mary Scanlon, 28, a passenger on a Singapore Airlines
flight from Munich to Singapore, is alleged to have committed the
offence at 6.50am on November 30, 2010. The Irish national was
first charged in a district court on Dec 15, when she was ordered
to undergo two weeks of psychiatric evaluation in the Institute of
Mental Health.
On Wednesday, the prosecutor said that the psychiatric report
was ready and he needed an adjournment so as to consult the
Attorney-General's Chambers on its findings.
Scanlon's lawyer Christopher Bridges said that looking at the
report, it was 'most likely that the charge would be withdrawn' and
asked for his client to be freed on a personal bond as she knew no
Singaporeans to bail her out.
He also said that she was on medication and her older brother
had flown down from Ireland to supervise her while she waits for
the court case to be resolved.
District Judge John Ng then set bail at $5,000 and allowed the
brother to bail her out.
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