Solicitor suing for alleged false imprisonment on cruise made second suicide ‘threat’, court told

A solicitor suing for alleged false imprisonment while on a cruise ship made a second “threat” of suicide to a security officer, a High Court jury has been told.

Rajesh Bhagavathi, the deputy security officer on board Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas ship in the summer of 2015, said Caroline Fanning (49) told him: “I will commit suicide if not given a new balcony state room”. Ms Fanning denies she repeated the suicide comment to the security guard.

Responding to questions from Darren Lehane SC, for defendant Trailfinders Ireland Limited and third party RCL Cruises Limited, Mr Bhagavathi said he was sent, along with three other security officers, including one female, to Ms Fanning’s room at 3.40am on August 9th, 2015, because she had mentioned the word suicide to the guest services receptionist.

Ms Fanning invited him and the female security guard into her balcony cabin and asked them to listen for noise, he said. The room was silent, he said, but he asked her if she wanted to move to an inner state room, which would not have a balcony.

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He asked Ms Fanning if she had mentioned the word suicide to guest services, to which she said yes, before making what he perceived to be a “direct threat” of suicide, he said.

Leaving her and her 13-year-old daughter alone with the female security guard, he called the chief security officer who directed that she would be moved to an interior cabin after hangers and other sharp objects were removed from it.

In his 13 years as deputy security officer on Royal Caribbean ships, Mr Bhagavathi said, he had had “many many experiences” of guests and staff making threats of self harm. Security staff receive refresher training, including in responding to self-harm incidents, before each new ship contract, which he said occurs every six months.

Ms Fanning is suing booking agent Trailfinders, which has an address on Dawson Street in Dublin, claiming she was falsely imprisoned the early hours of August 9th, 2015. Her claims are denied by Trailfinders and third party RCL Cruises.

Appearing before the court remotely, from her home in Costa Rica, Keyonna Swaby Booth, who was a guest services receptionist in 2015, said Ms Fanning’s suicide comment took her by surprise.

Ms Swaby Booth told the jury she had offered to send sea sickness tablets and ear plugs to Ms Fanning’s room, as the guest was complaining she could hear the noise of the engine and could not sleep.

Ms Fanning was seeking an upgraded balcony room. Ms Swaby Booth could only offer her an interior room that night but another room may have become available the next day, she said.

According to Ms Swaby Booth, Ms Fanning then said: “If you don’t get me a new room, security will be dealing with a suicide tomorrow.” Ms Swaby Booth said she asked Ms Fanning to explain what she meant, to which she repeated the comment.

Ms Swaby Booth said she told the guest that the company takes these threats very seriously and she would have to call security. Ms Fanning the repeated the comment for a third time, she said.

Previously, Ms Fanning, of Foxrock Avenue, Dublin, told the court she believed Ms Swaby Booth was being sarcastic on the phone, so Ms Fanning responded sarcastically: “there may be one tomorrow” and “there may be a suicide”.

The case continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens and a jury on Tuesday.