Danish golfer arrested after Nashville to London flight to face trial on sexual assault charges
UXBRIDGE, England — Danish golfer Thorbjorn Olesen will face a trial after being charged with sexual assault and being drunk on a British Airway flight traveling from Nashville to London.
The 29-year-old Olesen indicated he would plead not guilty to the offenses when he made a brief appearance at a magistrates' court in Uxbridge, west of London, on Wednesday.
Olesen, who is ranked No. 65 and was a member of Europe's Ryder Cup-winning team in 2018, was arrested on July 29, immediately after returning to London from a World Golf Championship event in Memphis, Tennessee.
Olesen, a five-time European Tour winner, has also been charged with assault by beating. He spoke only to confirm his name, address, date of birth and nationality, as well as indicating not guilty pleas. He was granted unconditional bail and is expected to appear at Isleworth Crown Court on Sept. 18.
Olesen has been suspended by the European Tour pending the outcome of the case.
Olensen's plane incident allegations
Olesen allegedly got into an argument with other passengers in first class. He also is alleged to have urinated in the aisle.
Metropolitan Police in London charged him with sexual assault, being drunk on an aircraft and common assault.
British newspapers The Sun and The Independent reported the victim was a sleeping female passenger.
The Sun reported that Ian Poulter, who also played the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, was on the flight and tried to calm the situation.
Poulter's agent, Paul Dunkley, told The Sun that Poulter helped calm a "slightly intoxicated" passenger and then went to sleep "and the first he knew of anything else was when the police were waiting at Heathrow."
"These are very serious and deeply troubling allegations," the tour said in a statement after the incident. "Even though he is not a member of the PGA Tour, a claim of this magnitude is something we take very seriously. We are in close contact with our counterparts at the European Tour."