Man who molested flight stewardess gets 9 months’ jail

SINGAPORE — Once the seat belt sign was turned off, he asked for four glasses of whiskey. After downing them, he drunkenly harassed the SilkAir flight’s crew, badgering them for more drinks even after the crew refused him.

Things got uglier when Kizhakkumkkara Thomas Ajeesh molested a flight stewardess by touching her breasts. Today (Nov 18), Indian national Kizhakkumkkara was sentenced to nine months’ jail for using criminal force to outrage the flight stewardess’ modesty, and becoming so intoxicated it jeopardised order on the aircraft.

Kizhakkumkkara, 31, was onboard the flight from Trivandrum, India, to Singapore on Sept 9. After he had turned tipsy from the four glasses of whiskey served to him, the supervising cabin attendant told her crew members not to serve him any more liquor.

But Kizhakkumkkara persisted, repeatedly heading back to the back galley to do so. A fellow passenger who was so annoyed by Kizhakkumkkara moving back and forth even requested for a seat change, the court was told.

At about 4am, when the aircraft was passing through the Indonesian airspace, the seat belt sign was turned on. Observing that Kizhakkumkkara did not comply, a flight stewardess — who cannot be named due to a gag order — asked him to buckle up, but Kizhakkumkkara refused and continued to ask for alcoholic drinks. Only after repeated requests from the cabin crew did Kizhakkumkkara fasten his seat belt.

When the victim returned to the back galley, Kizhakkumkkara stretched and brushed his right hand from her right breast to her left breast in a single motion. The victim screamed and told him to stop touching her. Another passenger who saw what happened also shouted for Kizhakkumkkara to stop. The incident was relayed to an SATS airport police officer, who filed a report.

Kizhakkumkkara’s sentence was in line with what the prosecution had sought. Kizhakkumkkara had pleaded for leniency, telling the court he had to support a family, including his wife who is pregnant, and his mother who is ill and hospitalised.