Thorbjorn Olesen "grabbed woman's breast" on flight, hears London court

Former European Ryder Cup golfer Thorbjorn Olesen reportedly "grabbed a woman's breast" after drinking and taking sleeping pills while on a British Airways flight coming back from the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational on July 29, 2019, a court heard today.

Olesen, 31, also allegedly pushed a member of cabin crew when aboard the flight from Nashville ot London Heathrow, and he also urinated on a passenger's seat while in first class. 

The five-time DP World Tour winner was said to be on the flight with a number of PGA Tour pros including Justin Rose and Ian Poulter. 

Olesen has reportedly denied sexual assault, assault by beating and being drunk on an aircraft at a trial at London's Aldersgate House Nightingale Court. 

The jury heard how the Dane had "no memory of his behaviour" aboard the aircraft due to drinking alcohol and taking sleeping pills. 

#Ryder Cup golfer Thorbjorn Olesen grabbed womans breast on flight, court told https://t.co/VTlHyrrn5p pic.twitter.com/bxBEHPf8Zw

— Jenkers News (ENG) (@jenkers_en) December 6, 2021

British Airways cabin crew Sarah White told the court how she served Olesen with a glass of champagne before take-off, and then followed that with a vodka and cranberry juice. 

She also said that she noticed him drinking pink champagne from another passenger's glass. 

Then she told the court how she later tried to direct Olesen back to his seat after he went to the toilet and had struggled to get out by pushing on a pull door. 

Olesen is alleged to have pushed her with his right hand on her shoulder while saying: "It's all about you, isn't it."

"During the flight Mr Olesen assaulted me and failed to listen to my instructions," she said.

"Through my 27 years of service, I have never come across such bad behaviour on board a flight."

A woman, who cannot be identified because she is an alleged victim of a sex offence, said in a statement Olesen then grabbed her hand and started to kiss it.

"He would not let go and then nuzzled his face into the nape of neck. I felt he clearly didn't know what he was doing," she said.

"He had his right hand around my back. With his left hand, he then grabbed my breast and moved his hand over my right breast.

"I felt shocked, he had overstepped the mark."

The court heard cabin crew intervened and Olesen was eventually returned to his seat with the help of Poulter, but he later woke up and urinated on a passenger's seat and in the aisle. 

Olesen was arrested after the plane landed and told police in an interview he could not remember what happened on board.

He said he had taken a natural sleeping pill along with other sleeping pills and had five or six drinks, including red wine, beer and vodka with the intention to "knock himself out".

"He said he felt terrible and embarrassed, and was very sorry," said prosecutor Max Hardy.

Poulter said in a statement: "I was unaware of what happened. I assisted with bringing him back to his seat. He looked a little bit worse for wear and I just assumed he had too much to drink."

The trial continues. 

Olesen has played in a number of DP World Tour events in 2021, and despite missing the cut multiple times, he did record two top-10 finishes (T5 in the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open in April) and T8 in his last start at the AVIV Dubai Championship last month).

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