An Australian man transiting through Changi on his way to Perth was jailed for five months and six weeks and fined S$5,000.
An Australian man who was meant to be flying on to Perth from Bali has instead been jailed in Singapore after abusing, spitting at and urinating towards police officers, CNA reports.
Morris David, 52, was sentenced on Friday 30 October 2026 to five months and six weeks' jail and fined S$5,000.
According to CNA, David arrived at Changi Airport's Terminal 3 from Bali in July with head injuries from an accident, and was meant to transit through Singapore to Perth.
Upset about paying for treatment at an airport clinic, he went to a Singapore Airlines lounge, where he refused to give staff his details and verbally abused the manager. After being taken to hospital, he returned to the terminal with an invalid boarding pass, demanded to be let into the lounge and onto his Perth flight, and swore at and threatened police.
He was arrested and taken to Changi General Hospital, where the court heard he repeatedly spat at officers guarding him, threatened them, urinated in their direction from his bed and tried to bite one.
Photo: Alvinz via Wikimedia Commons (CC0). File photo of Changi Airport Terminal 3.
District Judge Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz said his abuse of public servants over 32 hours showed a "prolonged and flagrant disregard for authority". Prosecutors had sought just over eight months' jail. His lawyers said he was extremely remorseful and wanted to apologise to the officers.
It's a reminder for Perth travellers that Changi is a popular stopover, and Singapore takes behaviour towards police and public servants very seriously. Smartraveller has advice on Singapore's local laws.
Sources: CNA; Smartraveller.
Hero photo: RoB via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). File photo of the Changi Airport Terminal 3 departure hall.
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