MARRIED DAD OF THREE FINED AND REGISTERED AS SEX OFFENDER AFTER FLIGHT INCIDENT
A British man, Thomas Sleigh, has been convicted and sentenced after an incident onboard a Ryanair flight from Murcia to Manchester.According to court reports, Sleigh, a married father of three, poked an airline steward in the groin during a dispute over alcohol.
The steward, who was carrying magazines at the time, recoiled and told Sleigh: "Don't ever touch me in that area ever again," to which Sleigh allegedly responded: ''Are you gay?'' Subsequently, Sleigh was arrested upon landing in Manchester.
He denied sexual assault but was found guilty after a trial and faced a maximum sentence of 10 years.
The incident, which occurred on September 7 of the previous year, lasted about 30 to 50 seconds.
He was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, pay £300 in compensation to the steward, and be registered as a sex offender for five years.
The court was informed that Sleigh’s son is gay, which contributed to his remorse.
His lawyer explained that the act was unplanned and that Sleigh apologized immediately after the incident.
Nonetheless, he was suspended from his job and faced verbal abuse from his community.
The steward testified that Sleigh also asked if he was gay and touched him inappropriately in an upward motion.
Sleigh claims he was drinking and argues he did not intend any harm, asserting that a family argument and alcohol influenced his actions.
The court found that Sleigh deliberately touched the steward in the crotch area and that his denial of wrongdoing was not credible.
