A 61-year-old actor has been dumped from a touring production which had just reached Australia’s shores after he was charged with indecently assaulting a fellow passenger onboard a Malaysian Airlines flight to Adelaide.
Aleh Sidorchyk, a Belarusian actor who is a member of the Belarus Free Theatre, has been charged with one count of an act of indecency without consent by the Australian Federal Police following his arrest on Sunday.
Sidorchyk has been granted bail pending his next court appearance on March 6, but he has been forced to hand over his passport while the investigation continues and is not allowed to leave South Australia.
The Belarus Free Theatre had been invited to show its acclaimed production of ‘Dogs of Europe’ at the Adelaide Festival but the organisers now say Sidorchyk is no longer welcome to take part in the show.
No further details about what Sidorchyk is alleged to have done to his seatmate have yet been made public.
“When travelling through the airport and when on a plane, people are bound by Australian law and where there is evidence that someone has committed a criminal offence, the AFP will take action,” commented Acting Superintendent Paul Everingham on Tuesday.
