A 21-year-old man has been sentenced after being found guilty of sexually touching an eighteen-year-old woman at Waterloo tube station.
John Robert Smith, of Barlavington Way, Midhurst, West Sussex, was sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (November 29).
He was handed a six-month community order and ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work next year. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £85, costs of £750 and will be on the sex offenders register for five years.
The court heard that Smith inappropriately touched his 18-year-old victim, as she reached the top of the escalators at the station – but was collared by an off-duty Met Police officer.
The off-duty copper who witnessed the assault – who thought Smith was attempting to pickpocket his shaken victim – pulled him to one side and confronted him.
British Transport Police arrived and arrested the 21-year-old.
Investigating officer PC Daniel Thompson said: “This was a frightening experience for the young woman which understandably left her shocked and shaken.
“We’d also like to thank the off-duty officer involved, for intervening and offering immediate support to Smith’s victim at a hugely distressing time and helping us to bring Smith to justice.”
PC Thomson added that tackling unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport was a top priority for transport police.
He said: “No one should ever have to experience unwanted sexual behaviour while travelling on the rail network.
“We take every report seriously and provide full support to the victims and will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.”
British Transport Police can be contacted on 0800 40 50 40 or incidents can be reported by texting 61016.