A 71 year old British tourist has been charged after allegedly assaulting a gay man aboard a cruise ship travelling to Australia.
The alleged assault occurred on board the Discovery Princess while the vessel was sailing from Dunedin, New Zealand to Sydney.
The incident was originally reported by British news outlet GBN, with Australian Federal Police confirming the charge following the ship’s arrival in port.
British man set to appear in court
The alleged victim of the assault has been reported as a “younger gay man” however there are no reports of exactly how or why the assault took place or if it related to his sexuality.
According to witnesses, the alleged assault took place on Tuesday while the ship was still at sea.
However, the man was not arrested until Saturday, when the cruise liner docked in Sydney and Australian authorities were able to intervene.
Fellow passenger Shell Guchi, who witnessed the aftermath of the incident, said the ship’s journey was not interrupted. “The assault took place while we were on board. We were not turned around,” she said.
Ms Guchi also confirmed that the alleged victim was a younger gay man, telling The Sun she hoped he “makes a full recovery”.
The accused has since been charged with one count of assault occasioning bodily harm, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment under Australian law. He is scheduled to appear before the Downing Centre Local Court on February 18.
Australian Federal Police Acting Detective Superintendent Trevor Robinson said the case demonstrated that criminal behaviour at sea could still have serious legal consequences once vessels enter Australian jurisdiction. “The repercussions of alleged criminal behaviour remain even when an offence occurs at sea,” he said.
“Where Australian law applies under the Crimes at Sea framework, the AFP will move swiftly to investigate incidents and bring alleged offenders before the courts,” Robinson added. “We work closely with cruise operators and maritime partners to ensure the safety of passengers and crew, and to make it clear unlawful behaviour on vessels connected to Australia will be addressed.”
While the incident occurred in an isolated maritime setting, it follows a troubling pattern of reported assaults and harassment targeting LGBTQIA+ people in recent months.
These have included attacks on a trans person on a Gold Coast tram, as well as a string of continued reports of gay men being lured through dating apps and attacked, advocates have repeatedly warned that anti-LGBTQIA+ violence remains a persistent and global issue.
Community organisations have long called for stronger preventative measures, better reporting pathways and support for victims, and clearer accountability mechanisms
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