Swiss court finds man guilty of sexual assault on flight

A Swiss court convicts a 44-year-old businessman of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl during a nine-hour flight from Mumbai to Zurich.

Mid-flight rape horror as man 44 attacks sleeping girl 15 on plane

A Swiss court has found a 44-year-old businessman guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on a nine-hour flight from Mumbai to Zurich. The girl sat next to him and had spoken briefly before she fell asleep; while she slept, the man carried out sexual acts on her and himself. He admitted the acts in a hearing at the Bülach District Court and said he had made a mistake.

Under Switzerland’s updated rape laws, consent matters clearly and is considered non consent if the person signals no. The case test drives that reform in practice. The sentence was a 1.5‑year suspended term, with the man already in custody since March, and he will not serve more time. He is banned from entering Switzerland for five years and barred from any activity involving regular contact with minors for life. He will be released for deportation and must cover trial costs around CHF 9,000. The presiding judge called the ruling lenient and barely appropriate.

Highlights

The case underscores how law, travel and protection of minors intersect in a connected world.