Grant Hackett allegedly grabbed a passenger’s nipple ‘forcefully’ on flight
FORMER swim star Grant Hackett is alleged to have “forcefully” groped a passenger on a plane after a dispute over a seat being reclined too far.
Northern Territory
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FORMER swim star Grant Hackett is alleged to have “forcefully” groped a passenger and “tweaked” his nipple on an interstate flight after a dispute over a seat being reclined too far.
Hackett, 35, is in hiding on the Gold Coast after the incident yesterday that has plunged him into a fresh new controversy, just as he is poised to sign a commentating deal with the Seven Network.
A passenger on the Virgin Australia flight from Adelaide to Melbourne told The Daily Telegraph the two-time Olympic gold medallist grabbed his chair and yanked it forwards after the passenger reclined it.
“Then he put his hand through and groped my chest and tweaked my nipple quite forcefully,” the shocked passenger said.
Hackett allegedly stroked his arm and said “it’s OK, it’s all right” but the passenger said he felt unsafe and violated.
One source called the incident “nasty” and claimed Hackett got out of his seat and threatened the passenger: “He was out of control.”
However, the passenger said he came forward to stop rumours starting about what happened. He denied the incident was nasty but said the incident had troubled him enough to make him worry about flying again.
Seven News last night showed an image of what purported to show Hackett slumped in a wheelchair after the flight while police officers watched nearby.
In a statement yesterday, the Australian Federal Police confirmed a 35-year-old man was spoken to at Melbourne Airport. No charges were laid but inquiries were continuing.
The latest controversy comes after Hackett spent time in a US rehab clinic where he was treated for a sleeping pill addiction. He claimed he had lost his four-year-old son.
Photos of the incident showed Hackett looking lost with a singlet wrapped around his waist as a pair of shorts.
Before that there were two other high profile controversies. In 2011 he trashed the Melbourne apartment he shared with then wife Candice Alley, who was home with their twin sons.
As many as eight police cars were called to the luxury apartment after a distressed 000 was made to police.
Pictures emerged of the damage caused in the apartment — which included some of the items his wife most cherished like her piano, a dresser and framed photographs.
A bedroom door was also destroyed, as were some of the children's’ toys were trashed.
The couple later said they were dealing with some “private issues”.
Months later he had an alcohol-fuelled night at Crown Casino during — and after — the Logie Awards in April 2012, where he was asked to leave a Channel 9 party and fell asleep in a stairwell.
At about 3am and the Olympian was approached by bouncers at a nightclub in the casino complex and told he should “call it a night”. Hackett is said to have fully co-operated with staff and promptly left, without an escort.
The following morning Channel 9’s Today aired footage of a sweaty Hackett at the party struggling to form a sentence. When asked by a reporter for his favourite song, Hackett stumbles: “I don’t know my favourite song ‘cos there’s are so many favourite songs. ‘Cos if I could name one I would.”
The following month he and Alley split and he was dumped from his ambassador role at the Alannah and Madeline Foundation which aims to protect children from violence.
andrew.koubaridis@news.com.au
Originally published as Grant Hackett allegedly grabbed a passenger’s nipple ‘forcefully’ on flight
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