Locations
Station Road, Walthamstow, East London, E17
Description
A man who preyed on a sleeping woman on the Night Tube stroking her leg has been jailed for a year after being found guilty of sexual assault.
Michal Piczak, 31, will spend one year in jail and a decade on the sex offenders register after a woman awoke on the Night Tube to discover him stroking her.
The attack came in the early hours of September 29 2019, the victim was travelling home on-board a Victoria line night service when she fell asleep.
As the Tube approached Walthamstow Central Underground station she awoke to Piczak stroking her legs and kicked out to get him away from her.
Pointing out Piczak to station staff she shouted: “Stop him, he’s been touching me”.
A British Transport Police officer at the station rushed to the scene and Piczak was promptly arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.
CCTV footage captures Piczak’s actions as he reached over the Tube’s aisle to touch the sleeping victim before moving next to her and stroking her legs.
Detective Constable Ibrar Ahmed, investigating officer in the case, said: “Piczak is a sordid sex offender who targeted a lone woman as she slept and subjected her to a prolonged sexual assault.
“His jail term sends out a clear message to anyone who exhibits this type of behaviour on the railway – we will catch you and bring you to justice without exception.”
Piczak of Station Road, Walthamstow, appeared at Inner London Crown Court on 28 October where he pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.
A jury found him guilty at trial and he was sentenced by a judge to one-year imprisonment, and to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.