Solicitor accused of sexual assault on Dubai to Manchester flight

Defendant tells court he was asleep during alleged attack

Arjmand Ghafoor, 35, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman on board a Dubai to Manchester flight. MEN Media

A solicitor appeared in court accused of sexually assaulting a woman on a flight from Dubai to Manchester.

Arjmand Ghafoor, 35, was arrested in December 2018 after the plane landed in England.

Mr Ghafoor was charged with two counts of sexual assault, which he denies, the Manchester Evening News reported.

Manchester Crown Court heard on Thursday that he started a conversation with a female passenger who was seated next to him on the Emirates flight.

Prosecutors alleged that Mr Ghafoor touched the outside of the woman's leg after the cabin lights dimmed.

It is alleged he then grabbed her inner thigh while she was reading a book.

Kathryn Johnson, prosecuting, told the court that the woman asked Mr Ghafoor to stop after initially believing he touched her leg by accident.

The woman's partner was sitting next to her on the flight when the alleged assault occurred, the court was told.

"She thought that was an accident, but then felt Mr Ghafoor grab hold of the inside of her thigh with too much pressure for it to be an accidental touching," Ms Johnson said.

"She told him to stop and he responded by saying, 'If you think my behaviour is inappropriate, please tell me'.

"She responded by saying, 'I have just done that'."

The female passenger was moved to another seat after speaking with the cabin crew.

Her partner was unaware of what allegedly happened because he was watching a film, jurors heard.

Mr Ghafoor denied that he had touched the woman, that he was drunk, and that he had boarded the plane in an agitated state.

He told the court he was asleep when the alleged sexual assault occurred and had woken up next to two empty seats.

The trial continues.