An EasyJet passenger has been convicted of attempting to rape a woman mid-flight. A woman in her 30s had been travelling alone to Edinburgh from Naples, Italy, when Nicola Cristiano came to sit beside her, expose himself, and force her head towards his genitals.
The court heard that the woman, who is granted lifelong anonymity, had been sitting in a window seat reading a book when the 45-year-old man moved next to her. She said: “I think I ordered some wine from the stewardess and I made a funny face because it wasn’t a very good wine.” The accused then took out some wine from his bag in the overhead locker and gave it to her, which she said she drank. The court heard Cristiano then assaulted her shortly after take off on May 13, last year.
She said the 45-year-old put his hand on her leg, leaving her “a bit stunned”. She said: “He was just very persistent. He tried to kiss me on the mouth.”
He then unbuttoned his trousers, touched the woman’s breast and attempted to force her hand and head towards his exposed crotch.
She said: “I was pulling away. I think at one point I told him my husband was sitting at the front to make him think I had somebody to make him stop, but it didn’t make a difference.
“I had a plan that when the cabin crew came past I would ask to move seats, but nobody came past during the incident,” reports the BBC.
He then motioned for her to come to the toilets with him, but she told him to go first. Once he entered the toilet, she alerted the cabin crew about the assault, who prevented him from leaving the facilities.
The victim said she was “hysterical” and “crying” after the incident. Cabin crew told the court the woman was visibly distressed when she told them about the sexual assault.
Cristiano was arrested after the plane landed at Edinburgh Airport. Forensic evidence showed there was a trace of Cristiano’s semen on the victim’s cheek.
Cristiano admitted in evidence to having a sexual encounter with the woman, but denied the charge of attempted rape. He said: “She provoked me. She excited me.” He claimed it was consensual initially, but the victim then changed her mind.
After a three-day trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, jurors found Cristiano guilty by a non-unanimous verdict for sexually assaulting and attempting to rape his victim.
Judge Alison Stirling placed him on the sex offenders’ register and adjourned sentencing until February 6 at the High Court in Edinburgh to allow time to prepare a background report on him.
Detective Chief Inspector Steph Garnett, from Police Scotland’s Public Protection Unit, said she hoped it gave confidence to victims to come forward.
They said: “Cristiano will now face the consequences of his despicable actions and I hope this brings comfort to his victim.
“He deliberately approached a woman travelling alone on a flight and sexually assaulted her. Fortunately, she had an opportunity to alert a member of the cabin crew and she was taken to another part of the plane where she was safe.
“I also hope this conviction gives confidence to anyone who is the victim of sexual crime to come forward. We will thoroughly investigate reports made to us and we have specially trained officers to provide support.”
