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A Canadian is accused of performing indecent acts on a flight from Hong Kong to Australia.

Australian Federal Police arrested the 28-year-old man on arrival in Adelaide on Thursday.

They say the man indecently assaulted two female cabin crew members. He was restrained by crew and passengers and handcuffed for the remainder of the flight.

The man, who had a student visa for Australia, was in custody on indecency charges that carry a maximum 10 years in jail. It is not clear where in Canada the man is from.

According to an airline memo cited by the Adelaide Advertiser newspaper, the man pinned one of the flight attendants down on the galley floor, lying on top of her with his hand up her skirt. Cathay Pacific said it would not tolerate "any unruly behaviour that puts our people or our passengers in harm's way."

After a Friday court appearance at which a magistrate ordered a psychiatric assessment, the man was remanded into custody, the Advertiser reported, adding prosecutors opposed bail.

In a statement, police Commander Peter Sykora said no one should be subjected to abusive acts while doing their job.

"This should serve as a reminder to the community that authorities will not tolerate abhorrent behaviour, whether it's in the air or on the ground," Sykora said. "The penalties can be severe."

The man, who has not been publicly named, is scheduled for a bail hearing later this month.