A 34-year-old Indian man, Javed Inamdar, has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl who was sleeping on a British Airways flight from Mumbai to London Heathrow.
The court heard that Inamdar, a married shipping company executive with two children, "tested the waters" by stroking the girl's hand before sexually assaulting her during the overnight flight on December 14 last year.
The victim woke up screaming "get away from me" and immediately alerted the cabin crew.
A fellow passenger, Anna Miller, recalled hearing "a young girl's voice, she sounded distressed, saying 'get away from me.'" Another passenger seated near the victim stated she was "completely terrified, probably crying" and repeatedly said Inamdar had put his hands down her clothes.
British Airways cabin manager Rebecca Rooney described the girl as "clearly distressed" and curled up in a fetal position.
Inamdar was moved to a different seat, and the captain was notified.
Inamdar initially claimed he mistook the girl for his wife when he woke up holding her.
He later told police he was asleep, "didn't know where his hands were," and insisted any contact was accidental.
Judge Simon Davis dismissed these claims, calling the assault "outrageous" and premeditated.
He noted that Inamdar had planned the attack after choosing his window seat.
The 21-month sentence was reduced, taking into account the time the defendant spent separated from his family while awaiting trial in Britain.
Source:https://www.thestandard.com.hk
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