Detectives are appealing for help to identify a man after an “extremely distressing” alleged upskirting incident on a bus in West London.
A girl, under the age of 16, was on a 148 bus heading towards White City Bus Station when a man used a phone to reportedly take a photo up her dress on September 12.
The man was challenged by the girl’s family member before he left the bus at the next stop about 5.30pm.
The Metropolitan Police has released an image of a man they want to speak to in relation to the incident. He is described as aged in his mid-40s, about 5ft 9ins and of medium build.
He had very short hair and a short beard with bits of grey in it.
He was wearing a denim jacket, dark jeans and grey trainers. He was carrying a navy rucksack which had lighter blue strips on the shoulder straps, detectives said.
“This was an extremely distressing incident for the victim and her family,” Detective Sergeant Fiona Craig said.
“We are keen to speak to the man who was on the bus that day. If that man was you, or if you recognise him, please do the right thing and contact us as a matter of urgency so we can establish all the facts.”
Upskirting is when someone takes a photo underneath someone’s skirt or dress without their consent, with the intention to obtain sexual gratification, or to humiliate or distress the victim. It has been a criminal offence in England and Wales since 2019.
In January 2020, it was reported that there had been an upskirting allegation made to police nearly every single day since the law came into force.
Upskirting was previously prosecuted under the common law offence of “outraging public decency.” But the previous law was found to not be able to capture all instances.
