Man convicted following sexual assault on a flight

A 45-year-old man who sexually assaulted a woman on an Easyjet flight from Naples to Edinburgh has been convicted.

Nicola Cristiano was found guilty of attempted rape on Friday, 9 January, 2026, following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh. He will be sentenced at a later date.

He moved seats to be next to the woman during the flight that left Naples on Tuesday, 13 May, 2025. When he moved to another area of the plane she alerted cabin crew about what had happened and Cristiano was arrested when the flight landed at Edinburgh airport.

Detective Chief Inspector Steph Garnett, from Police Scotland’s Public Protection Unit, said: “Cristiano will now face the consequences of his despicable actions and I hope this brings comfort to his victim.

“He deliberately approached a woman travelling alone on a flight and sexually assaulted her. Fortunately she had an opportunity to alert a member of the cabin crew and she was taken to another part of the plane where she was safe.

“I also hope this conviction gives confidence to anyone who is the victim of sexual crime to come forward. We will thoroughly investigate reports made to us and we have specially trained officers to provide support.

“Anyone wishing to report a sexual crime can do so via 101 or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”