A man was convicted of an attempted rape incident on an easyJet flight involving a lone female passenger. Nicola Cristiano strategically changed seats to sit near the victim during a flight from Naples to Edinburgh, where he carried out the assault. Cristiano, aged 45, was found guilty of attempted rape following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh on December 9.
He targeted the woman on the flight from Naples on May 13, 2025, by moving seats to be close to her. The victim managed to alert cabin crew after Cristiano relocated within the plane. Flight attendants then assisted the woman in a different section of the aircraft. Cristiano was apprehended upon landing at Edinburgh Airport.
Authorities condemned Cristiano’s actions as “despicable” and emphasized the importance of the victim reporting the incident. Detective Chief Inspector Steph Garnett of Police Scotland’s Public Protection Unit expressed hope that the conviction would provide solace to the victim and encourage other victims of sexual crimes to come forward for support.
Cristiano is awaiting sentencing, scheduled for a later date.