EasyJet passenger jailed after trying to rape woman aboard UK-bound flight

The woman, who the court heard was born in 1993, said she drank some wine that Cristiano had offered her, but after accepting the offer, Cristiano exposed himself to the victim before assaulting her.

She told the jury that Cristiano put his hand onto her leg, leaving her a "bit stunned".

After this, she told the court: "He was just very persistent. He tried to kiss me on my mouth."

The court heard Cristiano then unbuttoned his trousers, touched the woman’s breast and attempted to force her hand and head towards his exposed crotch.

Despite being informed that the woman had a husband, Cristiano then signalled her to join him in the toilets.

She said: "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.

"I had a plan that when the cabin crew came past I would ask to move seats, but nobody came past during the incident."

The woman, from Aberdeenshire, agreed to join him, though after he entered the cubicle, she told cabin crew what had happened, who prevented him from leaving the facilities.

A member of the cabin crew said the woman was visibly distressed when she told them she had been sexually assaulted.

The victim also told the court she was "hysterical" and "crying" after the incident.

Cristiano admitted in evidence to having a sexual encounter with the woman, though he denied the charge of attempted rape.

According to Cristiano, the ordeal was consensual initially, although the victim then changed her mind.

"She provoked me. She excited me," he said.

He was arrested after the plane landed at Edinburgh Airport.

Forensic evidence showed there was a trace of Cristiano's semen on the victim's cheek.

After a three-day trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, jurors found Cristiano guilty by a non-unanimous verdict to a charge which stated that he sexually assaulted and attempted to rape his victim.

Judge Alison Stirling placed him on the sex offenders’ register and adjourned sentencing until February 6 at the High Court in Edinburgh for the preparation of a background report on him.

Detective Chief Inspector Steph Garnett, from Police Scotland’s Public Protection Unit, said: "Cristiano will now face the consequences of his despicable actions and I hope this brings comfort to his victim.

"He deliberately approached a woman travelling alone on a flight and sexually assaulted her. Fortunately, she had an opportunity to alert a member of the cabin crew and she was taken to another part of the plane where she was safe.

"I also hope this conviction gives confidence to anyone who is the victim of sexual crime to come forward.

"We will thoroughly investigate reports made to us and we have specially trained officers to provide support."