Getty ImagesA woman was left “hysterical” after being sexually assaulted by a fellow passenger on a flight from Naples to Edinburgh, a trial has heard.
The witness – who cannot be named for legal reasons – told a jury she was targeted by Nicola Cristiano, 45, on an Easyjet plane.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard the alleged assault took place shortly after take-off on 13 May last year.
Cristiano denies a charge of attempted rape and has lodged a special defence of consent.
The woman – who is in her 30s and from Aberdeenshire – said Cristiano moved seats to be beside her and offered her some wine.
But after accepting his offer he is alleged to have to exposed himself, tried to get her to touch his genitals and to perform a sex act on him.
The woman said she told the accused she had a husband but he did not stop.
After the exchange Cristiano signalled for her to join him in the toilet.
But when he entered the cubicle she approached a member of the cabin crew to raise the alarm, the court heard.
The Easyjet flight had departed Naples at around 21:30 and was about two thirds full.
The woman told the the court that she had been sitting in a window seat reading a book when Cristiano moved to seats to be beside her.
The witness said he spoke Italian but had no English so they communicated with each other by pointing to things.
She said: “I think I ordered some wine from the stewardess and I made a funny face because it wasn’t a very good wine.”
The accused took out some wine from his bag in the overhead locker and gave her some and she told the court that she drank it.
But a short time later she said she was left a “bit stunned” when Cristiano put his hand on her leg.
‘He was very persistent’
Speaking about what happened next, she said: “He was just very persistent. He tried to kiss me on my mouth.”
The woman said Cristiano unbuttoned his trousers, touched her breast and grabbed her head during the alleged assault.
She said: “I was pulling away.
“I think at one point I told him my husband was sitting at the front to make him think I had somebody to make him stop but it didn’t make a difference.”
The woman said she planned to ask to move seat if a member of the cabin crew came past but no-one did.
The witness said that Cristiano then gestured to her go to the toilet with him.
She added: “He wanted me to go first. I told him he could go first.”
But when he entered the cubicle she notified the cabin crew.
Asked if the crew helped her, she replied: “Yes. One of them didn’t let him out of the bathroom. They took me to the front of the plane and made me a cup of tea.”
The court heard that Police Scotland were contacted and arrested Cristiano when the flight landed.
The trial, before judge Alison Stirling, continues.
