A man has been convicted of kidnapping and sexually assaulting an injured woman who fell from the steps of a central London tube station.
harif Abbas, 31, was sent to prison on Friday for four years over the 2019 attack.
The court heard earlier that Abbas approached an injured 19-year-old woman at the Bond Street tube station on the morning of June 16, 2019.
The teen had fallen down a flight of stairs around 6 a.m. and suffered a broken wrist and head injury that exposed her skull.
Abbas offered to help the woman and – donning a safety coat – led her out of the station. He explored a basement of a nearby building, escorted the injured teen there and began sexually assaulting her.
Abbas unknowingly activated a silent alarm after entering the building. The police arrived and found Abbas standing behind the victim with his hands under her clothes and the fly of his jeans undone.
The Southwark Crown Court judge told Abbas of Nightingale Road in Haringey: “I have no doubt that if they hadn’t been there at the time, you would have committed a more serious assault.”
Nigel Pacquette of the Metropolitan Police said the verdict was “quite the right outcome to ensure that other women are protected from him”.
DC Pacquette said: “The young lady targeted by Abbas has been incredibly brave, determined and patient throughout this investigation and the legal proceedings.
“She no longer lives in the UK and was forced to return to Britain and quarantine to participate in the trial due to Abbas’s not guilty plea. I applaud her actions to ensure that other women are spared this man’s perverted attentions.”
DC Pacquette added: “Abbas traveled on the Tube network with a high-vis tabard who would give the impression of being a member of the TfL staff. Given that he was unemployed, this alone was worrying, but his actions towards the victim were even more sinister.”
Abbas had the safety vest from a previous job conducting bus investigations. He told detectives he had it with him in case he went running or in case there was “an accident or something”.
DC Pacquette said: “It is deplorable to take advantage of a seriously injured woman, especially at a time when she needed urgent medical attention. Fortunately, the quick thinking of the officers who responded to the emergency call allowed Abbas to be apprehended at the scene.
“He was calculating and predatory and the verdict is completely the right outcome to ensure that other women are protected from him.”