SINGAPORE: A man was sentenced to six months’ jail after he molested a flight attendant and later harassed the woman by cornering her in the galley of a Singapore Airlines plane.
Akash Tiwari was on June 22 also ordered to pay compensation of S$1,270.95 (US$981.45).
The 35-year-old, who pleaded guilty to one count each of molestation and harassment, will have to spend an additional five days behind bars should he fail to pay the amount.
According to court documents, the Indian national was on board a Singapore-bound flight from Thailand with four friends on Feb 9 when they turned rowdy.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Lynda Lee said they would wave frantically and laugh whenever a female crew member walked past.
The victim had approached the group before the flight took off in Bangkok to confirm their meals. Akash stretched out his arm to brush against her left upper thigh and laughed.
His friends also started laughing.
The victim told the chief stewardess about the incident and was moved to an aisle away from the offender to serve passengers there instead.
But Akash did it again, using his left elbow to nudge her buttock as she was collecting trays from passengers who had finished their meals.
The DPP said: “She was very upset and told the accused not to touch her. Instead of apologising, he smirked. The victim was even more distressed and repeated to him not to touch her.”
She told the chief stewardess about it and both women confronted Akash. However, he was not apologetic and insisted that he had done nothing wrong.
At around that time, the captain announced that the plane was preparing for landing and the victim left for the galley.
Meanwhile, the chief stewardess approached her supervisor and the captain to tell them about the incident.
Akash followed the victim into the galley and stood extremely close to her. Distressed, she told him to stay away.
The DPP said: “Instead of moving away, the accused persisted with the same threatening behaviour by coming even closer and cornered the victim in the galley.
“The victim was even more distressed by now. She shouted at him to stay away and to stop following her.”
She immediately left the galley, only to realise that Akash was following her. She again told him to stay away.
Passengers in the aisle saw what happened, said the prosecutor. Akash finally left her alone when she went to the chief stewardess for help. By then, the victim was in tears. She was visibly frightened and both her hands were shaking.
Akash was arrested after the plane landed in Singapore. - The Straits Times/ANN
