On a Swiss flight from 24 to 25 April 2023, an incident occurred in which an older man sexually harassed and physically assaulted his younger seat neighbor.
According to the young man's account, the incident began when the older man repeatedly pushed his elbow near him. The younger man then approached him and the two had a conversation, reports theTages-Anzeigernewspaper, citing a ruling by the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona.
The older man later told him that he was gay and had particular sexual preferences. According to the accounts, the younger man then tried to ignore the older man by putting on his headphones.
Escalation with a water bottle
However, the older man continued to harass him. He leaned over him and asked if he should "blow him". The man stroked his arm, kissed him and said: "Come on boy, you've never tried it before."
The situation finally escalated when the younger boy was given a new seat. The older man sought him out in his new seat and the man pushed him away. The older man then hit him in the face with a full water bottle. A witness confirmed the attack.
After landing in Zurich, the older man denied the accusations, attributed the touching to the cramped seats and his drunken state and claimed that the younger man had also attacked him. He also claimed that he had "possibly blacked out" and could no longer remember certain events.
However, the court found his statements to be contradictory and sentenced him to a fine of 900 francs and legal costs of 2177 francs. The convicted man intends to appeal.