A DRUNKEN off-duty British Airways ground crew worker who groped a sleeping male passenger in business-class during a long-haul flight to Bangkok must wait to hear his fate.

Paul Speak, 47, touched the man between the legs at least twice and dramatically fainted on board the BA plane when the complaint was reported to him.

Speak, of Hawkes close, Langley, has been found guilty at Isleworth Crown Court of one count of sexual assault on October 12 last year and has been bailed for sentencing on November 21.

The victim of the assault told the court: “I believe I said: ‘What the f*** are you doing? Stay away’.”

The man, who was travelling alone, claimed he caught Speak looking at him earlier saying: “It was a stare straight to me and a smile.”

He recalled three touches as he dozed in his seat and said: “The first time was the feeling of a light breeze on my thigh.

“I felt it again and saw the same guy walking back to his seat.

“Something happened again and I caught the hand. It was in the crotch area.”

The passenger says his manhood was touched above his clothing and continued: “He mumbled and stumbled. I saw embarrassment on his face, shocked that he had been caught. I think that he might have been drunk.”

Prosecutor Kathy Hirst told the jury the first incident occurred four hours after taking off from Heathrow, with Speak, a BA employee, using his staff points to fly.

She added: “On two occasions the complainant says he was touched above clothing on his penis.

“He was woken by someone running his hand over his thigh area, near his crotch. He raised his eye mask and saw the man in the pink shirt retreating.

“It happened again forty minutes later. The hand went up towards his waistband and it seemed to be prolonged.

The passenger reported Speak to the cabin crew and a member of staff spoke to the defendant.

Speak, who denied touching the passenger, was questioned by police on his return to the UK.