A man has been charged with sexual assault after a woman reported being groped while unconscious on a Ryanair flight. The alleged incident occurred on July 19 when the 22-year-old woman was traveling from Malta to Nantes. She told authorities that a 39-year-old Tunisian man seated next to her sexually assaulted her after she fainted due to a headache.
According to the woman's account, she fainted shortly after takeoff and fell forward. As she regained consciousness, she alleged that the passenger seated in the aisle had been kissing her neck. She further claimed the assault continued as he allegedly turned her towards the window seat, pressed her back against himself, and groped her breast over her T-shirt. The woman stated she managed to pull away when he put his hands under her shorts and touched her underwear.
Upon landing, the woman informed her family, who subsequently alerted Border Police. The alleged victim's lawyer, Anne Bouillon, was quoted as saying, "A vulnerable woman is seen as prey, even on an airplane."
The suspect was arrested on August 31 at Nantes Airport as he disembarked from a flight from Tunisia. He had reportedly been added to a wanted persons database, leading to his apprehension. He appeared before a judge on Wednesday and was charged with sexually assaulting a vulnerable person.
The public prosecutor of Nantes, Antoine Leroy, confirmed that the 39-year-old admitted to being the passenger seated next to the victim but denied the allegations. The woman's clothing is undergoing examination, and she has been examined at the forensic medical unit at Nantes University Hospital.
The suspect, who is reported to be homeless, is scheduled for a psychiatric evaluation and will face trial on October 28.