Australian man jailed for molesting flight attendant on Scoot Tigerair flight

Business class passenger Paranjape Niranjan Jayant on board a Scoot Tigerair flight molested a flight attendant after she thwarted his advances and ignored his repeated requests for her phone number.

The 34-year-old Australian, who is married and works for a logistics firm there, was jailed for three weeks yesterday (Nov 22).

According to The Straits Times, he pleaded guilty to two counts of molestation.

A third outrage of modesty charge involving the same 25-year-old woman was considered during the sentence.

The court heard the offences were committed by him in August, during a flight from Sydney to Singapore.

After meal service, the woman was working in the galley when she suddenly felt someone caressing her left hip.

She turned around and saw Paranjape, whose left hand was still touching her.

She moved away from him and he told her that she was beautiful before returning to his seat.

"Subsequently, during the flight, the accused went up to approach the victim at the front galley a few times to request for the victim's phone number. The victim ignored these requests," said Deputy Public Prosecutor James Chew.

Paranjape approached the woman and molested her again an hour before landing.

She turned around and he repeated his request for her phone number.

Immediately, the woman alerted her supervisor and Paranjape returned to his seat.

Later, she lodged a report at the Changi Airport Terminal 2 police post.

Paranjape, who was unrepresented, told District Judge Lim Tse Haw yesterday that he was intoxicated when he committed the offences, and added: "I can't handle my drink."

He also said he was remorseful and pleaded for leniency.

For each count of molestation, he could have been jailed for up to two years and fined or caned.

Read the full story at The Straits Times.