Drunken penguin prank ruined my Aussie dream, says Welsh tourist

From: NewsCore

May 06, 2012 

Rhys Jones says he tried hard "to keep the whole thing under wraps but the media completely exposed us". Picture: Kit De Guymer Source: Gold Coast Bulletin

• Man says penguin prank ruined his reputation
• Welsh tourist forced to leave his beachside lifestyle
• Jones, 21, fined $1000 for stealing from Sea World

A WELSH man who stole a penguin from an Australian theme park on a drunken night out has told how the prank ruined his reputation and his dream beach life Down Under. 

Rhys Jones, 21, and Keri Mules, 20, both from Wales, were fined $1000 each in a Gold Coast court last week for stealing a fairy penguin named Dirk from Sea World last month.


Jones told Wales today that he has been forced to leave his beachside lifestyle on the Gold Coast and move to the outback town of Goondiwindi, about 350km inland, to escape the backlash over his drunken caper.

The incident received a lot of media attention, and Jones said since the prank he had been evicted from his apartment and his flooring sub-contracting business lost three contracts.

"We said we were sorry and the majority of people have said, 'Hands up, that was a crazy night guys,'" he said.

"But people look at us a bit different. We were upstanding and had a really good reputation and we tried hard to keep the whole thing under wraps but the media completely exposed us -- it's just been hectic."

The "crazy" night was reminiscent of the movie The Hangover.

After consuming "a lot of alcohol" at a party next to Sea World on April 14, the duo, in Australia on working visas, were part of a group that broke into the aquatic park, set off a fire extinguisher in the shark tank and swum with dolphins before grabbing Dirk.

"I can remember swimming with the dolphins and then I woke up that morning, grabbed my wallet, went to get changed, opened my cupboard and there was a bloody penguin in my cupboard -- in my walk-in wardrobe," Jones told Wales today.

They panicked and released Dirk in shark-infested waters, but luckily the penguin was rescued unharmed.

Jones and Mules, who have been Down Under for about 18 months, pleaded guilty in court last Wednesday to counts of trespass, stealing and unlawfully keeping a protected animal.

They were fined AU$1000, no conviction was recorded and they were allowed to stay in Australia.
Jones said not being kicked out of the country was a huge relief but dealing with the fall-out has not been fun.

 "I know people laugh at it at home but I'm feeling the rough end of the stick over here," he said.

source

(wiinterrr's note: Deal with it, you bloody thief. I have no pity for you.)