'Plenty' of sex assaults on cruises: ex-security officer

July 4, 2006

Passengers on board the Pacific Sky cruise ship were encouraged to engage in binge-drinking while staff also ignored the use of drugs, a former P&O crew member claims.

Former security officer Jeff Dobjeckie will this week meet with lawyers for the coroner at the inquest into the death of Brisbane woman Dianne Brimble.

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, apparently from an overdose of the date rape drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or fantasy.

The body of the 42-year-old mother was found in a cabin belonging to four men, who are among eight men identified by police as being persons of interest.

A newspaper on Tuesday reports that Mr Dobjeckie, who was sacked by P&O in March for arguing with another crew member, will reveal that officers were told to turn a blind eye to drug use.

"We knew of people giving ecstasy to people, that sort of thing," he was quoted as saying.

"There was marijuana smoke coming out of the cabins but we just had to walk on past."

He said bar staff encouraged excessive drinking because they were paid commission for the amount of alcohol they sold.

"You had bar tenders depending on everyone at the Legends Bar and the Starlight Disco getting blind drunk so they could claim commissions," he said.

He also said he had seen "plenty" of sexual assaults during his 10 years onboard cruise ships.

Mr Dobjeckie said he was also outraged that four men of interest into Mrs Brimble's death were allowed back into their cabin, where the Brisbane woman died, while the Brimble family were not allowed to get clothes from their cabin.

He said his story could be backed up by current and former P&O workers, adding that he would tell all to the coroner.

On Friday, he will fly from the Gold Coast to meet with counsel assisting the coroner Ron Hoening.

The inquest into Mrs Brimble's death, being held before Deputy State Coroner Jacqueline Milledge, resumes on July 24.

AAP