Cruise Ship Drug Overdose
Dianne Brimble - Drug Overdose - Death
P & O Cruise Lines - September 23, 2002
South Australian police, who did not wish to comment yesterday, have claimed public interest immunity in regard to the information, which is part of intelligence material and other information held by the state's police force. Public interest immunity claims that disclosing evidence to other litigants may be damaging to the public interest.
South Australian police were withholding intelligence for fear it might harm investigations in that state. Five of the eight men who are considered persons of interest in Mrs Brimble's death, have criminal records, some for drug-related matters.
Leo Silvestri Testifies
The inquest into Dianne Brimble's deaths returns with Silvestri and police investigators taking the stand. Silvestri's testimony regarding Dianne paints a very dim picture of the conditions in the room, and Silvestri's attitude toward Dianne Brimble. It includes his statement that he went to sleep and Dianne was not in the room, and woke up with her next to him on his bunk, frothing at the mouth. He claims he rejected her in the nightclub, and had no idea how she got into his bed or cabin. He further claims he was told later, that while he was passed out in his bunk, she performed oral sex on him while he was passed out, having "helped herself to him".
Note how this conflicts with the testimony of several passengers that saw Dianne leave the nightclub with Silvestri and Wilhelm and two of their friends. Also note how it conflicts with the testimony given by Mark Wilhelm, who testified that he and Silvestri had "consensual sex" with Dianne. This is documented on our page one here.
Though frothing at the mouth was likely a sign she was dead, he says he "thought" he felt a pulse. Then says, he rolled her off his bed, onto the floor. Then he and Mark Wilhelm tried to give Dianne CPR, before dragging her into the shower trying to clean her up BEFORE calling for help. Since she was frothing at the mouth, and Silvestri claims he thouight he felt a pulse, the delay caused by showering Dianne to clean her up, may have wasted crucial time needed for medical staff to save her life, as well as washing away crucial evidence.
Let's think about this. This is the woman Silvestri called "fat", "bitch" and a "dog", and he and Wilhelm attempted to give her CPR, inspite of her frothing mouth, and then seeing that didn't work, they didn't call for help. Instead, they drag her into the shower, delaying medical assistance, to clean her up, washing away some of the evidence ?
McDonald Family Testifies
Tiffany McDonald age 16 testified that she was about to leave the room with two other teenage girls when four men entered the room through the open door, and then closed the door behind them. The girls' parents were still at super and they were alone in the cabin. She identified them as Mr Wilhelm, Dragan Losic, Petar Pantic, and "maybe" Leo Silvestri. The men asked the girls' names and kissed their hands.
Tiffany's mother, Lee-Ann McDonald, also testified, she heard a female voice in the room next to hers, where Mrs Brimble was later found dead, saying "Leo", the nickname for Leo Silvestri. She also testified to hearing alot of yelling and banging noises in the cabin that night, and in the corridors as well. But, she said that she was too scared to investigate. She said the men were very scarey and intimidating and that she feared for her daughters's safety.
Two Teenagers Testify
The inquest heard testimony from some more passengers. Jessica Kornacki and friend Amy Mudge, age 15 and 16 told the inquest they met the men at a pajama party in the nightclub of the Pacific Sky on the second night of the cruise, about 14 hours after Mrs Brimble was found dead in their cabin. The man named Letterio Peter Silvestri ,and he was wearing only a bath towel wrapped around his waist. He tried to coax the two minors into coming back to his cabin to dance for them, offering cash money, U.S. holidays, perfume, and clothes,. as well he offered the girls cigarettes and alcohol.
Muller Family Testifies
Karli Muller told the court Dragan Losic asked if the girls would go to the disco later and said he and the other men would perform oral sex on them. Karli claims she told them in no uncertain terms to get out.
Karli Muller also asked Mark Wilhelm how get got a black eye, and he responded that he got into a fist fight. He then punched the wall near her head, to show how he responded. She said the girls were scared, and when the coast was clear, they went back to the diningroom and told her mother and father what happened.
Her mother Joanne Muller, testified she complained to the service desk on ship. She was told it was likely an isolated event, and wouldn't happen again. She also testified that she saw Dianne in the disco with some of the eight men identified as persons of interest, the night she was later found dead. She said in her opinion Dianne was under the influence of something.
Joanne Muller also testified that she heard the voice of woman and several men in the cabin next to hers, the cabin where Dianne Brimble ultimately died, She testified that she heard the woman protesting about 3am, the night Dianne Brimble died, say, 'I'm not like that and I don't do that sort of thing.' This testimony indicates that Dianne Brimble was not a willing participant.
Lauren Muller testified that she had an encounter with Letterio (Leo) Silvestri. She said he gave her unwelcomed kisses her both of her cheeks while she was waiting in the diner queue. At that time she asked him what happened in his room. She says he told her that it was still considered a crime scene, then he laughed,
Keven Muller the father, testified he was very upset at the encounter the girls had in their cabin, and said he would never take a cruise again.
Ship's Magician Testifies To Cover-up
Stephen Bruce Hart, photo is here the ship's magician, who performed magic shows children aboard the Pacific Sky, testified he was told to "shut up" by two different P & O security staff, one he called Stan Westwood, when he wanted to tell what he had seen, related to Dianne Brimble.
Hart testified that he danced with Dianne only a few hours before her death in 2002. He said that she did not seem intoxicated, she seemed sober, and that she just "looked happy, having a good time,"
Hart also said that he told two security guards and the cruise director on the P&O Pacific Sky, Ms. Georgie Gillings, that he believed there was something suspicious about Brimble's death.
He also testified when he tried to report what he knew to the cruise director, Georgie Gillings, he was told, "This has gone straight to head office, if the media got hold of this they would have a field day". Then, he was "physically escorted" back to his cabin and given a lecture.
"She said, 'shut your mouth' and said 'you are not to talk to anybody about this, you are to keep a very low profile and you are not to drink for the rest of the cruise," Mr Hart said. A photo, that is... well, you decide, of "cruise director" Georgie Gillings, is here
