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A court has heard that Ryder Cup winner Thorbjorn Olesen grabbed a woman’s breast on a British Airways flight after drinking and taking sleeping pills.

The trial of the 31-year-old Dane is underway at London’s Aldersgate House Nightingale Court.

Olesen, a five-time winner on the European Tour, stands accused of sexual assault, assault by beating and being drunk on an aircraft during a flight from Nashville to London Heathrow in July 2019. He also allegedly urinated on a first-class passenger’s seat.

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Olesen denies all charges and says that he has no memory of his behaviour after drinking alcohol and taking sleeping pills.

During proceedings today, British Airways cabin crew Sarah White said in a statement read out in court that she had served him a glass of Champagne before take-off followed by a vodka and cranberry juice. She also claims to have seen him drinking pink Champagne from another passenger’s glass.

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Ms
White alleges that Olesen “assaulted” her during the flight and “failed
to listen to my instructions”. She added that, in 27 years of service,
she has “never come across such bad
beahviour onboard a flight”.
 

Another
woman, who cannot be named because she is an alleged victim of a sex
offence, said in a statement that Olesen grabbed her hand and started to
kiss it during the flight.
 

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

Cabin service director Graham Gee told the court that Olesen appeared to be “unsteady on his feet and under the influence of something”. He added that the Danish tour pro “became affectionate by holding my hand and kissing it”.

The court also heard a statement from Ian Poulter, who, along with former US Open champion Justin Rose, was on the same flight.

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Poulter said that Olesen was “in a good mood” and “very jovial” when he boarded the plane. The Englishman added that he had taken some sleeping tablets but had not given any to Olesen.

“I assisted with bringing him back to his seat,” added Poulter. “He looked a little bit worse for wear and I just assumed he had too much to drink.”

The trial continues.


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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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