Cabin crew sprang into action when a 15-year-old girl revealed she had been sexually assaulted during a flight from Mumbai to Switzerland.

 

The teenager reported the horrifying incident involving an Indian businessman, who had initially engaged in brief conversation before she fell asleep. Despite the girl being accompanied by a parent, the man molested her and performed indecent acts on himself.

 

Upon hearing her distress, a Swiss Airlines crew member swiftly relocated the girl and provided care. "A cabin crew member then continuously observed him," stated airline spokeswoman Exer-Kuhn.

Police arrested the businessman upon landing at Zurich Airport, where he was later convicted of rape and sexual acts with a child.

 

According to the Zurich Public Prosecutor's Office for Serious Violent Crime, the assault began with the man repeatedly touching the girl and putting his arm around her. Despite being in shock, she endured the attack until he stopped.

The brave teenager notified the crew, leading to the man's prompt arrest after the flight. In court, he confessed to the attack, admitting awareness of her non-consent and young age.

 

This case follows Switzerland's recent legal amendment, adopting "no means no" to define consent. The law now considers rape to include acts of physical penetration beyond mere forced intercourse.

 

The young victim's state of shock served as a clear signal of non-consent, resulting in the man's conviction. Although given a suspended sentence of one and a half years, he avoided jail time due to pre-trial custody.

 

Describing the sentence as lenient, the judge imposed a five-year ban on entering Switzerland and prohibited him from activities involving minors. He also faces costs of approximately THB 366,000, with a confiscated sum covering the expenses.

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Daily Mail 2025-08-21

 

 

 

"The young victim's state of shock served as a clear signal of non-consent, resulting in the man's conviction. Although given a suspended sentence of one and a half years, he avoided jail time due to pre-trial custody."

 

So he got away with it, despite admitting to a serious crime on an under age girl.

Sadly, not a surprise given the flight originated in Mumbai.  And Switzerland, a bit lenient no?  

Where the f*** was the accompanying parent? 

Post and response removed. 

 

xenophobic generalisations (“pedophiles are common in Switzerland,” “In Indian they marry girls ten years old”).

9 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Where the f*** was the accompanying parent? 

 

On overbooked flights, and especially when traveling on the lowest economy fares, passenger seat selection ahead of check-in isn't a given.

50 minutes ago, TimBKK said:

Sadly, not a surprise given the flight originated in Mumbai.  And Switzerland, a bit lenient no?  

 

Sexual deviants are in all societies. The law that he was prosecuted under appears to have been recently promulgated. The OP gives no chronological reference as to when this assault occurred, so time served under "pre-trial custody" cannot be evaluated.

3 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Sexual deviants are in all societies. 

True, but more prevalent in some than others - this story is case in point.

22 minutes ago, TimBKK said:

True, but more prevalent in some than others - this story is case in point.

 

Although their record on all forms of sexual abuse isn't stellar, I'm not getting this as an absolute metric for child sexual abuse. For example, a recent report cited Morocco 'as a pedophile “heaven” for Europeans allowing easy access to disadvantaged children. ...'

9 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Describing the sentence as lenient, the judge imposed a five-year ban on entering Switzerland and prohibited him from activities involving minors.

 

Wondering how a Swiss judge will enforce a ban on activities with minors if he's not allowed into Switzerland?

 

That, and the lack of a custodial sentence is just gobsmacking.  The guy got a suspended sentence.  For rape.

 

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

"The young victim's state of shock served as a clear signal of non-consent, resulting in the man's conviction. Although given a suspended sentence of one and a half years, he avoided jail time due to pre-trial custody."

 

So he got away with it, despite admitting to a serious crime on an under age girl.

Read the Swiss Law. It seems very clear to me

8 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Wondering how a Swiss judge will enforce a ban on activities with minors if he's not allowed into Switzerland?

 

That, and the lack of a custodial sentence is just gobsmacking.  The guy got a suspended sentence.  For rape.

 

Where it is saying it was rape?

6 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Where it is saying it was rape?

 

 

In the OP:  Police arrested the businessman upon landing at Zurich Airport, where he was later convicted of rape and sexual acts with a child.

4 hours ago, phetphet said:

Where the f*** was the accompanying parent? 

 

She was 15 yrs old - she doesn't 'need' an accompanying parent.

 

It is actually quite common for children to travel alone under an airline’s Unaccompanied Minor (UM) service.

 

Most major airlines require children between the ages of 5 and 11 travelling alone to use this service. Under the programme, airline staff escort the child through the airport, assist with boarding and disembarkation, and a designated flight attendant provides supervision during the flight.

 

For children aged 12 to 14, the service is generally optional, depending on the airline and the parent’s preference.

 

From 15 years onwards, most airlines consider passengers old enough to travel independently, and the UM service is typically not available.

 

 

Thus: Your 'outrage' at absent parents is rather out of place.

 

23 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Wondering how a Swiss judge will enforce a ban on activities with minors if he's not allowed into Switzerland?

 

That, and the lack of a custodial sentence is just gobsmacking.  The guy got a suspended sentence.  For rape.

 

 

Indeed - meanwhile in Australia a man has been sentenced to chemical castration... 

 

This is the only appropriate response IMO, along with a prison sentence. 

 

The man has simply been let free - which IMO is wrong on many levels.

What goes through the mind of a man who rapes a person....on a plane? How optimisitc do you have to be to think you'll get away with that?

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

"The young victim's state of shock served as a clear signal of non-consent, resulting in the man's conviction. Although given a suspended sentence of one and a half years, he avoided jail time due to pre-trial custody."

 

So he got away with it, despite admitting to a serious crime on an under age girl.

Shame he wasn't writing mean tweets while raping the kid, would have been banged up immediately.

Usual pedo, raping perpetrator 

Good reason to have garbage chutes on passenger airliners.

58 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

What goes through the mind of a man who rapes a person....on a plane? How optimisitc do you have to be to think you'll get away with that?

 

That’s your shining epiphany… “how to get away with it?"

 

If there were ever a comment to parade just how warped and hollow someone’s moral compass is, this is the one...

 

[Mod's note: personal comment on a fellow forum member removed.]

 

5 hours ago, NanLaew said:

The OP gives no chronological reference as to when this assault occurred, so time served under "pre-trial custody" cannot be evaluated.

Yes, it's not very helpful without a time line.

58 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

 

In the OP:  Police arrested the businessman upon landing at Zurich Airport, where he was later convicted of rape and sexual acts with a child.

Ok 👍

Something unsavory about Indian males toward females. Not a surprise they have gender segregated public transport in India

A personal comment on a fellow forum member, and an ensuing flame reply, have been removed.

 

The perp got off easy.   Europe is soft on crime. 

7 minutes ago, Mike_Hunt said:

The perp got off easy.   Europe is soft on crime. 

 

Depends who the criminal is these days

5 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Indeed - meanwhile in Australia a man has been sentenced to chemical castration... 

 

This is the only appropriate response IMO, along with a prison sentence. 

 

The man has simply been let free - which IMO is wrong on many levels.

And also, a doctor was sentenced to 20 years without parole for molesting young girls.  

11 hours ago, BritManToo said:

"The young victim's state of shock served as a clear signal of non-consent, resulting in the man's conviction. Although given a suspended sentence of one and a half years, he avoided jail time due to pre-trial custody."

 

So he got away with it, despite admitting to a serious crime on an under age girl.

Yeah you arent getting out of that one in the USA

The perp should have opted for Swiss chocolate.

Far less risk, and much more satisfying.

 

Again, humans are just so unpredictable.

No saving grace.

 

Here is just more evidence that Darwin's theory of Evolution is correct.

Truly, we are animals.

 

Please Note:  Never feed chocolate to a dog....

 

 

But, for an Indian on a flight to Switzerland, this would have been his better alternative.

 

20 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

She was 15 yrs old - she doesn't 'need' an accompanying parent.

 

It is actually quite common for children to travel alone under an airline’s Unaccompanied Minor (UM) service.

 

Most major airlines require children between the ages of 5 and 11 travelling alone to use this service. Under the programme, airline staff escort the child through the airport, assist with boarding and disembarkation, and a designated flight attendant provides supervision during the flight.

 

For children aged 12 to 14, the service is generally optional, depending on the airline and the parent’s preference.

 

From 15 years onwards, most airlines consider passengers old enough to travel independently, and the UM service is typically not available.

 

 

Thus: Your 'outrage' at absent parents is rather out of place.

 

Except. If you read the article, it says she was accompanied:

Despite the girl being accompanied by a parent, the man molested her and performed indecent acts on himself.

 

So there was no outrage, just disbelief that it happened while a parent was indeed travelling with her.