Golfer Thorbjorn Olesen says he 'felt embarrassed' after being accused of sexual assault
Olesen has denied sexually assaulting a woman, assault by beating a second woman and being drunk on an aircraft. On Tuesday, the Danish golfer, 31, gave evidence at Aldersgate House Nightingale Court in London.
He said he would never "consciously" risk his career by committing a crime. He added he has no memory of the flight after taking sleeping pills.
On Monday,the court heard that Olesen had "grabbed and rubbed the breast" of a woman, swore at members of the cabin crew and "urinated" over another passenger and in the aisle.
When asked by his barrister, Trevor Burke QC, about the allegations, Olesen said: "I felt horrible, and I was very sorry. I could not believe what they were saying happened.
"I was just embarrassed and felt horrible."Olesen competed at the World Golf Championships-FedEx St Jude Invitational in Memphis before boarding a flight from Nashville to Heathrow on 29 July 2019.
He told the court he had not slept well for weeks after playing several big tournaments and planned to go straight to sleep on the plane. He said he drank two beers, two glasses of red wine and one vodka and cranberry juice before boarding the flight.
He also took two Ambien sleeping pills that were put in his washbag by his partner, Lauren Zafer Olesen said he "felt fine" boarding the plane and that his last memory was "getting a glass of champagne and sitting down in my seat and I think I remember taking off".
He denied remembering groping a woman, being abusive to cabin crew and urinating on a passenger's seat. Olesen also said he could not recall asking for another drink or drinking from another passenger's glass.
He added he would "never" have taken the sleeping pills if he knew they were prescription-only or that possible side-effects include "sleepwalking" and "amnesia".Olesen of Chelsea, west London, said his partner later told him she had vacuumed their entire house and eaten Christmas chocolates without remembering after taking the pills for insomnia.
Zafer told the court that Olesen looked "like the world had just ended" and "slightly confused" after police released him." My stomach turned inside out because I knew how they must've been the Ambien and how strong they were, and I felt immense guilt," she said.
"It was all my fault that this happened."When questioned by prosecutor Max Hardy, Olesen denied he was "in a party mood" and said he had "definitely not" taken the pills with alcohol "for fun"."I wanted to try to sleep to London," he said.
The court was also told a passenger reported they heard mention of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax during a conversation between Olesen and fellow golfer Ian Poulter. They said he did not give Olesen any pills.
When asked by Hardy if he had taken more pills on the flight, Olesen said, "I don't remember, I don't know" and denied he was drunk.
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