West Drayton Sex Offender Jailed After “Sickening” Train Attack

A violent sex offender has been jailed after attacking and sexually assaulting a young man on a train in an incident described by British Transport Police as “truly sickening”.

Zakaria Mohammed, 32, of The Coppice, West Drayton, was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on 19 May after admitting Actual Bodily Harm, Sexual Assault, False Imprisonment and breaching the conditions of an existing Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

He was jailed for one year and eight months, placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and made subject to a new 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Mohammed was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £187.

The court heard that the attack happened shortly before 8.30am on Saturday 24 March, when Mohammed sat directly opposite the 21-year-old victim at a table in a carriage that was otherwise empty. The two initially exchanged small talk, but Mohammed, who had clearly been drinking and was carrying a half-empty bottle of wine, went on to sexually assault the man.

Mohammed later moved to sit next to the victim. When the train arrived at Reading station, the victim tried to leave his seat and asked Mohammed to move out of the way, but he refused. Trapped in the seating area, the victim was forced to crawl under the table to get away.

As he attempted to escape, Mohammed repeatedly struck him over the head with the wine bottle. After leaving the train, the victim reported what had happened and realised he was bleeding heavily from cuts to his head.

Mohammed was arrested by British Transport Police officers as he approached the barriers to leave the station. Officers also found he had breached a previous Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which banned him from travelling on public transport without paying for a ticket.

BTP Detective Constable Lauren Pace said:

“This was a truly sickening assault on a young man who was understandably terrified. Mohammed is a dangerous individual who saw nothing wrong with forcing himself upon the victim. Quite rightly he has been jailed as a result of our investigation and issued with a SHPO which will hopefully prevent him from attacking anyone else. We urge anyone who experiences or witnesses sexual offending on the railway to report it to us by texting 61016.”

Image: British Transport Police