A sex pest who assaulted a woman on a Birmingham bus has been banned from the route for 18 months.
Ashiq Hussain, from Saltley, repeatedly rubbed his leg against the terrified 22-year-old passenger on the number X51 bus as it travelled along Walsall Road in Perry Barr.
The 52-year-old sex fiend ignored the woman’s pleas to stop and, when she reported the unwanted advances to a ticket inspector, Hussain jumped off and disappeared down a back street.
However, cops working as part of a project between police and travel groups to make bus travel safer circulated CCTV images of Hussain and he was spotted by a patrol in Birmingham city centre and eventually arrested.
He was handed a community order after being found guilty of sexual assault by touching when he appeared at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.
It bans him from the X51 bus service and from sitting next to lone females on any public transport for the next 18 months.
The court heard that jobless Hussain targeted his victim on the afternoon of September 18 last year, strategically selecting a seat next to her and trapping her against the window.
He admitted to being on the bus to police but claimed that he’d brushed against the woman’s leg accidentally.
West Midlands Police DC Leigh O’Neill, from the Project Empower Safer Travel Partnership, said the case illustrated the group’s commitment to tackle sex offences on public transport.
“Passengers should be able to enjoy their journey without being subjected to verbal or physical abuse,” she added. “Project Empower is not only clamping down on offenders but is actively encouraging passengers to report unwanted sexual approaches.
“In this case the victim said that since the attack she’s not travelled on a bus out of fear of bumping into him again.”
Project Empower was launched in February 2014 to fast-track enquires into reports of sexual touching, lewd comments and indecent exposure and to urge passengers to report unwanted sexual advances on buses, trams and trains.
The team has investigated more than 100 allegations and made 35 arrests – including 20 offenders who have now been convicted, while several others are awaiting trial