Belarus actor Aleh Sidorchyk admits ‘indecent’ act against woman on plane to Adelaide
An international Adelaide Festival performer has admitted to “indecently” touching a sleeping woman on a plane three times, but cannot recall it, a court has heard.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An international Adelaide Festival actor touched a sleeping woman on the thigh three times on a flight from Malaysia but claims he does not recall the incident, a court has heard.
Exiled Belarus citizen Aleh Sidorchyk – who had planned to leave the country on Tuesday – will now remain in Australia for a month to seek medical reports to help explain his lack of memory.
He appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday alongside a Russian interpreter and pleaded guilty to committing an “act of indecency” against a female passenger aboard a Malaysian Airlines flight to Adelaide on February 26.
Magistrate Ben Sale said Sidorchyk, 62, woke the woman as he touched her on the “mid thigh”, but she then pretended to be asleep out of fear.
“On the final occasion she was fully opening her eyes and Sidorchyk took his hand from (the woman’s) thigh and placed it back in his lap,” he said.
“The victim felt that this act was sexualising in nature. She felt uncomfortable and scared.”
Alice Bitmead, prosecuting, read aloud part of the woman’s statement to police in which she described waking up to being touched on the leg.
“I opened them and I could see his face up close to mine looking at me. I believe the male was touching me in a sexualised way and this made me very scared,” the woman said in the statement.
After the incident the woman then approached a flight attendant and was moved to another seat. Sidorchyk was arrested after arriving in Adelaide.
Sidorchyk is a member of the Belarus Free Theatre and was scheduled to perform in Dogs of Europe’s Adelaide season as part of the Adelaide Festival.
After his arrest, he did not perform and was replaced by Belarus Free Theatre actors Ilya Yasinski and Igor Shugaleev.
Monday night’s final performance of Dogs of Europe at the Dunstan Playhouse sold out, while the show’s previous five sessions played to nearly full houses.
Tony Kerin, for Sidorchyk, told the court his client had been travelling for 36 hours from London, drank three whiskeys on the plane and had “fitfully slept” during the journey.
The court heard he had also been drinking during an eight-hour layover in Malaysia before his final flight to Adelaide and had returned a blood-alcohol level of 0.088 after landing.
He said Sidorchyk also suffers post-traumatic stress disorder and had previously been a heavy drinker due to his past, which included the loss of two sons, one to suicide and one in a car crash. He said Sidorchyk fled Belarus in 2011 after the side he supported lost the general elections and was now living in London “in exile”, while his wife remained in Belarus caring for her elderly mother.
“He hasn’t had any easy life,” Mr Kerin said.
A Russian interpreter read aloud an apology letter from Sidorchyk, in which he said he was “very embarrassed” and “very regretful” and sought the woman’s forgiveness.
“I blame myself that I caused your fears and anxiety,” the letter said.
Mr Kerin said Sidorchyk did not recall the incident or had “blocked it out” afterwards, but Mr Sale said he “did not accept” Sidorchyk’s memory had failed.
“I don’t accept that PTSD and three whiskeys obliterated his memory of quite conscious, willed acts committed with recklessness as to (the woman’s) consent,” he said.
“This is underhanded behaviour with a sexual connotation committed against a woman who is obviously asleep.
“I’ve really heard no plausible explanation for the offending.”
He said he was “concerned” Sidorchyk had “no insight” into this offending and may soon return to drinking and taking long-haul flights around the world.
He said he was contemplating jailing Sidorchyk but may release him forthwith on a recognisance order when he imposes sentence. The case was adjourned for a month to allow Sidorchyk to obtain medical reports.
Sidorchyk’s bail was varied to allowed him to stay in South Australia. He must sign in at a city police station twice per week.
‘All hell had broken loose’: Driver’s romantic claims for fleeing RBT
A man who dragged a police officer along the road with his car said he went on to make “one bad decision after another” but just wanted to see his partner one more time.
‘Serial killer’ blames bikie, ill man for pensioners’ murders
An accused triple murderer has suggested two other people could be responsible for some of his alleged crimes – but they’ve hit back in fiery court exchanges.