A prominent international businessman has been handed a four-year prison sentence for a brazen sexual assault committed on a sleeping passenger during a long-haul flight.
Pradeepkumar Panachiyil, 44, exploited the cover of darkness and noise-cancelling headphones worn by his young female victim to carry out the shocking attack aboard a Vietnam Airlines flight from Ho Chi Minh City to London Heathrow in September 2022.
A Predatory Act in the Confines of Economy
The court heard harrowing details of how Panachiyil, seated in the economy cabin, waited for the cabin lights to be dimmed and for the 22-year-old university student to fall asleep. He then proceeded to assault her, only stopping when she awoke in terror and confronted him.
"I was in shock and disbelief," the victim stated in her impact testimony, which was read to Isleworth Crown Court. "I felt completely violated and trapped. I couldn't believe this was happening to me on a plane."
A Chilling Response and the Fight for Justice
When the brave victim challenged her attacker, Panachiyil offered a chillingly casual apology, reportedly saying, "I'm sorry, I don't know what happened." The quick-thinking victim immediately alerted the cabin crew, who acted promptly to separate the perpetrator and preserve evidence.
Upon landing at Heathrow, Metropolitan Police officers boarded the aircraft and arrested Panachiyil. His defence, claiming he was sleepwalking and had no memory of the event, was dismissed by the jury, who found him guilty of sexual assault.
Wealth and Status Are No Defence
Despite the defence's portrayal of Panachiyil as a successful, family man running a multi-million pound pharmaceutical consultancy with offices in India and the UK, Judge Judith Hughes KC emphasised the severity of the crime.
"You took advantage of a vulnerable, young woman who was sleeping," Judge Hughes stated during sentencing. "This was a severe incident which has had a profound and lasting impact on the victim."
In addition to his prison term, Panachiyil was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and issued a restraining order against the victim.
The case serves as a stark reminder that the law applies equally to all, regardless of wealth or social standing, and highlights the importance of vigilance and swift action in combating airborne sexual offences.
