Thorbjorn Olesen assault case adjourned due to coronavirus

The crown court case against Ryder Cup winner Thorbjorn Olesen has been adjourned until June.

The Dane was due to stand trial at Isleworth Crown Court in London on May 11 on charges of sexual assault, being drunk on an aircraft and assault by beating. 

However, speaking to bunkered.co.uk today, a court official revealed that the next steps in the case will not now be heard until June 19 as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Olesen, part of the European team that defeated the US at Le Golf National in September 2018, was arrested on July 29 last year after arriving back in London from the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational in Tennessee.

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It is alleged that the then 29-year-old abused passengers and crew before being calmed by his 2018 Ryder Cup teammate Ian Poulter. It is also alleged that Olesen then “molested” a woman whilst Poulter slept, before urinating in their first-class aisle.

Appearing before magistrates in August, Olesen indicated his intention to plead not guilty to charges of being drunk onboard the British Airways plane, of sexually assaulting a woman, and of assault by beating. 

He entered that plea at a subsequent hearing on December 13 and denies any wrongdoing.

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Olesen has been suspended by the European Tour since August 7 “pending the outcome of legal proceedings”.

His enforced inactivity has caused to him to fall 85 places on the Official World Golf Ranking to 147th.