Cairns pilot mails a colleague a coffee mug with a slogan so offensive it lands him in court

A veteran pilot has apologised for gifting his colleague a mug with an offensive slogan that landed him in court. 

Casey Mackenzie sent his female colleague coffee mug with the words ‘Even Santa thinks you’re a c***’ on it as a Christmas gift on December 17 last year. 

The 48-year-old from Cairns used a fake sender’s name which led to his female colleague to call the police with concern over the package. 

Police trawled CCTV footage and tracked it to Mackenzie getting out of his car and sending the parcel, the Cairns Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday. 

Mackenzie pleaded guilty to one count of using a postal service to offend, Cairns Post reported.

His solicitor Michael Finch told the court that his client acknowledges that his actions were ‘adolescent’.

‘(But) what he did was not threatening. There was no mention of ruining anyone’s lives, no guns, no shooting anybody, no blowing up schools,’ Mr Finch told the court. 

He urged the magistrate not to record a conviction, describing Mackenzie as someone of ‘good character’ who ‘contributed positively to the community and Australia broadly’. 

Mr Finch argued that a conviction could destroy his career as a pilot and that his wife, who’s an American citizen, could impact their stay in Australia. 

Magistrate Alan Comans described Mackenzie’s behaviour as a ‘juvenile act’ and fined him $1,000 with a six month good behaviour bond.