"Stroud had sat next to the woman, who was on the phone to her boyfriend at the time, on a train which had left Hastings in East Sussex. The court heard that Stroud was "constantly leaning onto the woman", telling her, "You're magical", before he grabbed her hair, which the victim "perceived to be sexual"."
"The incident had made her feel "very uncomfortable" and "cornered", and that she had told Stroud to stop. However, Stroud continued trying to make conversation before asking, "Can I kiss you?", to which the woman replied, "Absolutely not"."
"The new offence, under the Public Order Act 1986, covers intentional harassment directed at someone because of their sex, including where perpetrators target women and girls in public places."
David Stroud, 44, pleaded guilty to harassing a woman on a train from Hastings to London on April 3rd, two days after new legislation banning sex-based harassment came into force. While seated next to the woman, Stroud made sexually motivated comments, leaned on her repeatedly, grabbed her hair, and asked if he could kiss her. The woman, who was on the phone with her boyfriend at the time, felt uncomfortable and cornered. She told Stroud to stop, but he continued his behavior. The woman's boyfriend contacted British Transport Police after hearing the incident. Stroud was arrested at London Bridge railway station. During police questioning, Stroud characterized his actions as "just banter." He will be sentenced next month.
#sex-based-harassment-conviction #public-order-act-1986 #british-transport-police #sexual-harassment-on-public-transport #new-harassment-legislation
Read at www.bbc.com
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