Attempted rape on a Naples-Edinburgh flight: Nicola Cristiano convicted in Scotland

Edinburgh – Nicola Cristiano, 45, was found guilty by a Scottish court of attempted rape of a female passenger aboard an EasyJet overnight flight from Naples to Edinburgh. The incident occurred on May 13 and was reported by UK media.

According to what emerged in court, the man moved to sit next to the woman, a Scottish citizen born in 1993 (her identity cannot be disclosed for legal reasons), beginning with advances. The attentions then progressed to offering her wine, eventually escalating, according to the prosecution, to sexual harassment.

To support its reconstruction, the court examined forensic evidence that revealed traces of semen attributed to Cristiano, as well as the testimony of a passenger who witnessed part of the scene. According to the documents, the 45-year-old also attempted to convince the woman to follow him into the plane's restroom.

The passenger allegedly agreed to move to the restroom, not out of consent, but to escape the attacker and seek help from the crew. The cabin crew intervened immediately, restraining the man in the restroom until landing at Edinburgh Airport, where the captain alerted the police. Officers boarded the plane and arrested the suspect.

During the proceedings, Cristiano denied responsibility, claiming the woman had consented, but the judges found his defense unreliable. A magistrate at the High Court in Edinburgh remanded him in custody pending a sentencing hearing, scheduled for February 6th, when the sentence will be announced.