A 39-year-old man has been jailed after targeting a young woman on the Central Line.
Muslih Alotaibi, 39, of no fixed address, was sentenced at London Inner Crown Court on Thursday, 16 October. He received a 19-week prison sentence, was ordered to pay a £154 victim surcharge, and must register with police for seven years.
The incident happened on Monday, 2 September 2024, when Alotaibi sat next to a lone woman on a Central Line train despite many other seats being free. He placed a jacket over his lap and sexually assaulted her.
A fellow passenger sitting opposite noticed something was wrong and mouthed to ask if she was okay. With tears in her eyes, the woman indicated she wasn’t. She then moved to sit beside the passenger, who comforted her and confirmed what had happened.
When Alotaibi tried to leave, other passengers intervened to stop him from escaping. He was arrested by police when the train arrived at Mile End.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Julie Skinner said: “Alotaibi acted in an abhorrent and predatory manner towards this young woman, but the selfless actions of those on the train who noticed something was wrong and offered to help her kept her safe from further assault and ensured we were able to arrest Alotaibi and bring him to justice.
“When a member of the public bravely intervenes to confront or call out callous behaviour and sexual assaults, it reminds the victim that they are not alone and helps to prevent further unacceptable behaviour. I thank everyone who supported this investigation and supported the victim, and I hope that this result can bring her some comfort.
“If you experience or witness a sexual offence on the railway network or in a station, I urge you to report it to us by texting 61016 – officers can deploy immediately and begin urgent enquiries to bring offenders to justice.”
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
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