A sex offender has been jailed after pressing his exposed genitals against a woman in front of her young daughter on a Tube train.
In December, a woman boarded a Picadilly Line train towards Knightsbridge with her 12-year-old daughter at around 6pm.
While on the train, the woman felt something press up against her from behind. Her daughter then saw Hasan Degirmenci pushing his groin against her mother with his trousers down and genitals exposed.
The 34-year-old has now been jailed for 16 months and put on the sex offenders’ register.
During the incident on 2 December, the woman confronted Degirmenci before they all got off the train at Knightsbridge station.
The woman and her daughter followed Degirmenci, who still had his trousers down, towards the ticket barriers. There they alerted station staff and Degirmenci was then arrested by British Transport Police.
Degirmenci, of Enfield, appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on 20 December, where he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault and one count of indecent exposure.
Last week, Degirmenci was sentenced to 16 months in prison at Inner London Crown Court and handed a five-year sexual harm prevention order. He was also made to sign the sex offenders’ list for 10 years.
Detective Constable Kathryn Faine, investigating officer in the case, said: “This incident was extremely alarming and distressing both for the woman and her young daughter.
“He targeted the victim in a crowded environment for his own sexual gratification, and I hope his jail term sends a clear message to anyone who exhibits this type of behaviour on the network – it simply won’t be tolerated.”
Mandy McGregor, TfL’s head of policing and community safety, said: “This was an appalling incident. No one should ever experience sexual harassment on our network and we are working closely with the British Transport Police to make the transport network a hostile place for offenders.
“We urge anyone who experiences or witnesses this type of behaviour to report it to the police or a member of staff so that we can take action and prevent future offending. The earlier it is reported, the stronger the evidence we have to help ensure that perpetrators face justice.”
