Man ‘sexually assaults sleeping girl on flight’ earlier than ‘handing her sick word’
A plane passenger has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman on Swiss International Air Lines Flight LX64 bound for Miami but he claims that ‘nothing happened’
The alleged incident happened on a Swiss International Air Lines Flight LX64 bound for Miami(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A man allegedly groped a woman while she slept next to him on a flight, later returning to hand her an unsettling note, according to court records.
Guillaume Sebastien Roger Mattler, 48, faces a charge of abusive sexual contact, as detailed in a federal criminal complaint. Court documents reviewed by the New York Post state that he was seated beside a 29-year-old woman in the first-class cabin.
While the woman was asleep, Mattler is accused of attempting to slip his fingers beneath her clothing. The disturbing incident was reportedly captured on camera by two alarmed passengers aboard Swiss International Air Lines Flight LX64 bound for Miami.
“Witness 2 observed Mattler moving his hand in a ‘submarine’ motion, as if trying to get his hand under the Victim’s clothing and/or between her legs,“ an FBI Special Agent wrote in a statement.
According to the statement, one passenger grew “very concerned” and notified the flight crew. The same witness allegedly observed Mattler placing his hand on the woman’s “crotch, over her jeans, making a scooping or rubbing motion”, records indicate, reports the Sun.
Authorities said the woman, who did not know Mattler, remained unaware of the alleged assault while she was asleep. She only became aware after a flight attendant informed her, at which point she reportedly began shaking and crying.
In an additional disturbing detail, Mattler later returned to his seat and handed her a note reading: “You look beautiful when you are sleeping”.
The French national reportedly denied wrongdoing, claiming “nothing had happened” during the flight. However, when presented with video footage, he allegedly admitted that he “touched the woman sitting next to him and that he did not think it was such a big deal”, according to court records.
He further claimed he had “only” touched her lower back and buttocks, the documents state. When investigators referenced witness accounts, he reportedly responded that “he touched whatever he could reach from across the armrest”.
Mattler is scheduled to appear in court again on Monday following his initial hearing last week.
This case follows another alleged in-flight incident last month in which a flight attendant was reportedly groped before the accused was removed from the plane.
Passengers were said to be shocked as the man allegedly insisted his actions did not “count as sexual harassment”.
He reportedly claimed he had merely “lightly patted” the crew member during a flight from Malaysia to China.
