Haringey man jailed for sexual assault on Tube

Siljan Lacaj, 33, of Palace Road in Haringey, was sentenced to one year in prison on September 24 at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court. He was found guilty of Sexual Assault following an incident that occurred in November last year.

Assault on the Underground

The court heard that Lacaj approached a woman at Leicester Square Underground station, asking persistent personal questions. He then followed her onto a Piccadilly line train and sat next to her again before committing the sexual assault. Two other passengers on the train noticed the assault and intervened, asking the victim if she knew Lacaj. When she indicated she did not, other passengers shouted at Lacaj and demanded he move. He became aggressive, and a fight broke out between him and other passengers. An off-duty Metropolitan Police officer on the train intervened and arrested Lacaj.

During police interview, Lacaj claimed he was trying to help the woman get home and showed no remorse for his actions. He refused to answer further questions.

Court Orders and Sentencing

In addition to the one-year prison sentence, Lacaj received a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. This order prevents him from speaking to, approaching, or touching any woman he does not know, and prohibits him from sitting next to or near any woman. He was also ordered to sign onto the sex offender's register for 10 years.

Detective Constable Dominika Rogers of the British Transport Police stated that Lacaj's behaviour was "appalling" and that he deliberately subjected a lone young woman to a prolonged assault for his own gratification. She added that there is no place for such conduct on the railway network and expressed satisfaction that Lacaj had been held accountable. Detective Constable Rogers also commended the victim for her courage and resilience in reporting the incident and praised the two other passengers who intervened to support her.

British Transport Police urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual offending on the railway network or has witnessed an incident to report it by texting 61016.