Golf: Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen arrested on suspicion of airplane 'sex assault' - reports

According to The Sun newspaper, the 29-year-old allegedly molested a sleeping woman before urinating in the aisle and then getting involved in an abusive tirade with crew on a British Airways flight from Memphis, where he had been competing in the St Jude Invitational last weekend. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

LONDON (AFP, AP) - Danish golf star Thorbjorn Olesen was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a passenger during a first-class flight from the United States to London, British media reported Thursday (Aug 1).

According to The Sun newspaper, the 29-year-old allegedly molested a sleeping woman before urinating in the aisle and then getting involved in an abusive tirade with crew on a British Airways flight from Memphis, where he had been competing in the St Jude Invitational last weekend.

Olesen had played in the World Golf Championships event in Memphis, Tennessee, where he tied for 27th. The Dane has five European Tour victories and made his Ryder Cup debut last year.

He allegedly got into an argument with other passengers in first class and reportedly needed to be calmed down by fellow player Ian Poulter.

The PGA Tour said in a statement it was aware of the arrest, calling the allegations "deeply troubling".

Olesen's agent at Hambric Sports Group in Europe, Rory Flanagan, did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

London's Metropolitan Police said a 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, being drunk on board an aircraft and failing to comply with the orders of cabin crew.

A spokesman said: "He was taken into custody and subsequently released under investigation".

Poulter's agent Paul Dunkley told The Sun that the English star had helped to calm a "slightly intoxicated" passenger, adding: "He (Poulter) 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 PGA Tour said in a statement. "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."

It said it would not comment further until it gets additional information.

A European Tour spokesman told the Daily Telegraph: "This is an active police matter and therefore we have no comment."

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