Ryan Lim, 30, is accused of assaulting the woman following an evening of drinking with the plane's captain. The incident reportedly occurred in November 2024. The woman told jurors at Isleworth Crown Court that she woke up disoriented and in a panic in a hotel room, realizing she was in bed with Lim and another male colleague.
She testified that she felt Lim's hand on her buttocks and later witnessed him pleasuring himself. The court heard that she had to be carried back to the hotel from a nightclub. The attendant reported the incident to police after the crew landed at Heathrow Airport, following advice from British Airways management.
During the trial, Lim's defense counsel suggested the woman may have misinterpreting events due to intoxication. However, the woman stated that people react to trauma differently and she was unsure if what she experienced constituted sexual assault. She also recalled asking the second male colleague if she was dreaming about Lim masturbating, to which he responded with shock.
Lim, from Sunderland, has denied one count of sexual assault. The trial is ongoing.