24 Apr 2004

Australian tourist jailed for airport assaults in Fiji

5:07 am on 24 April 2004

An Australian tourist who went on a punching spree immediately on his arrival at Fiji's Nadi international airport on Wednesday has been jailed for six years.

Radio Fiji reports that 50-year old Thomas Whan Challenge punched a security guard at the airport for no apparent reason.

Challenge was kept in custody until he appeared in the Nadi magistrate's court yesterday morning when he punched the police prosecutor.

He then ran towards the magistrate but was restrained by police.

Back at the police station he punched another officer and smashed a coffee table.

Challenge claimed he was immune to Fiji's laws because he was an Australian.