Man jailed three weeks for molesting Scoot flight attendant
A business class passenger on board a Scoot Tigerair flight molested one of its crew members after she ignored his repeated requests for her phone number.
Australian Paranjape Niranjan Jayant, 34, who is married and works for a logistics firm there, was jailed for three weeks yesterday after pleading guilty to two counts of molestation.
A third outrage of modesty charge, involving the same 25-year-old Singaporean woman, was considered during sentencing.
He committed the offences during a flight from Sydney to Singapore in August, the court heard.
The woman was working in the galley after meal service when she suddenly felt somebody caressing her left hip.
She turned around and saw Paranjape, who was still using his left hand to touch her.
The flight attendant moved away from him and he told her that she was beautiful before returning to his seat.
Deputy Public Prosecutor James Chew said: "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."
About an hour before landing, Paranjape approached the woman and molested her again. She turned around and he repeated his request for her phone number.
The woman immediately alerted her supervisor and Paranjape returned to his seat.
She later 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.
He said that 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. - SHAFFIQ ALKHATIB
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