Dad who sexually assaulted woman, 12, on flight claimed he mistook her for his spouse
A shipping company boss claimed he was in ‘deep sleep’ and mistook a girl on a plane for his wife, but has now been jailed after being convicted at Isleworth Crown Court
A married father who groped a 12-year-old girl on a flight claimed that he mistook the child for his wife. But he’s now on his way to prison after a jury rejected his claims and convicted him.
Javed Inamdar, 34, a shipping company boss from Mumbai, was handed a 21-month sentence at Isleworth Crown Court after being convicted of one count of assaulting a girl under 13 by touching.
“You’re shaking your head but the jury has found their verdict,” said Judge Simon Davis as he handed down the sentence.
The dad-of-two assaulted the youngster on a British Airways flight from Mumbai to London Heathrow on December 14. His victim screamed “get the f*** away from me” when she woke up crying at about midnight.
Cabin manager Rebecca Rooney said the girl was “visibly distressed” and had “her knees to her chest and was hugging herself”. She said: “I asked her what happened, she stated the male in the seat next to her had put his hands up her jumper and had touched her breast.”
Inamdar tried to talk his way out of trouble by telling a flight attendant he “may have confused the young girl with his wife”.
In a police interview he claimed not to remember what he’d done. “How can anyone specifically remember all this? Whether I moved my hand or anything like that? Yes, it’s possible, accidentally, maybe, but not intentionally – that’s 100%.”
Inamdar sobbed throughout the trial, where he had a Hindi interpreter. The shipping boss worked for a fleet management company and was flying from Mumbai to Heathrow and then on to Houston in Texas to pick up a ship.
His lawyer Lee Sergent said: “He comes from a different part of the world in India. He has made some success of his life in India helping his family. He has been on bail in this country because his employers have backed him and got him housing in this country.
“Being on bail in this country has had a greater restriction on his life than a person from this country. He has not been able to see his wife or children.”
Without a right to stay in the UK, he’d leave on the first plane out if he got a suspended sentence, his lawyer added.
But the judge rejected it, saying: “You tested the waters by brushing her hand. You’re shaking your head but the jury has found their verdict. That was an outrageous thing to do. This country will protect people like this young girl, especially at that young age.
“When she was horrified and protested, you ran as fast as you could, making up what you could say as a way of defence. This is a tragic case for the young girl. You got on that airplane and sat yourself down on the window seat. At that stage you thought you had the opportunity to assault her.”
Judge Davis said that he had reduced Inamdar’s sentence because of his separation from his wife. He said: “I have decreased the sentence because of you waiting in this country and not being able to communicate with your wife, which in itself is another tragedy. I consider that as a material factor.”
After he was convicted and led off to the cells, Inamdar yelled: “I need to call my wife to let her know what is happening.”
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