Drunken Plane Sex Pest Jailed For Pawing Teen Schoolgirl

An airplane drunk, who pawed a 14 year-old schoolgirl while she was flying home with classmates from an educational trip, telling the youngster he wanted to have sex, was jailed for four months yesterday.

Manjit Singh Sidhu, 38, drank heavily during the Jet Airways flight from New Delhi to Heathrow and engaged the teen in conversation about Bangkok's infamous red-light district, prostitutes, transexuals and drugs.

Sidhu, of Clumber Road, Leicester was convicted by an Isleworth Crown Court jury of sexual touching, cleared of assault and admitted being drunk on an aircraft during the flight on April 18, last year.

Prosecutor Mr. Rory Keane told the court: "He was persistent in drinking on the plane and the cabin crew attempted to prevent him having any more.

"He then tried to order drinks in the name of the passenger next to him and when staff intervened he was abusive towards them."

The young girl was sitting directly behind Sidhu, returning with her schoolteachers and fellow pupils from a trip to Nepal.

She said: "The man turned his head around and asked me where I had been and said he was interested in travelling and made references to Bangkok's red-light district, prostitutes, transexuals, drugs and sex."

The schoolgirl did not want to continue the conversation and put on headphones to watch a film, but was interrupted a few hours later by Sidhu, who came stumbling down the isle and perched himself on the armrest next to her.

"He tried to stroke my head and brushed my hair away and stroked my face and neck with his hand three or four times," she explained. "I felt insecure and unable to say anything," she explained.

"He hit the bridge of my nose," she added, but the jury acquitted Sidhu of this assault allegation.

"He said: 'I want to f*** you' and when I told him I was only fourteen years-old he said: 'I'll wait until you are eighteen.'"

The victim reported Sidhu to a teacher and police were waiting for him when the plane landed.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for the next seven years.