Jail for Goldthorpe train assault man

Lee Robert Cusworth (43), of Lawnwood Drive, Goldthorpe, has also been placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

Cusworth was found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court on August 20.

The court heard how Cusworth assaulted his victim as she attempted to serve refreshments on a busy Virgin East Coast service from London Kings Cross to Newcastle on February 14.

He was one of a group of rowdy and drunk men who had already been reprimanded for standing on seats.

Cusworth began shouting lewd comments and touched the woman as she attempted to move past him with her trolley.

She managed to alert the train guard who called ahead for British Transport Police officers to meet the train at Doncaster station where Cusworth was identified by his victim, removed, arrested and taken into custody.

Investigating officer Alek Marinkovic said: “This was an extremely frightening and intimidating experience for the victim, who was simply doing her job when Cusworth decided to humiliate and sexually assault her in front of a packed train.

“This is reflected in the severity of the sentence handed to Cusworth.

“Unwanted sexual behaviour on the railway network will not be tolerated. We will always fully investigate all sexual offences and encourage victims to report all incidents to us.”

The investigation is part of British Transport Police’s Report It to Stop It campaign which aims to increase the reporting of unwanted sexual behaviour on the rail network. 

A spokesman for Virgin Trains East Coast said: “We welcome this sentence and fully support the British Transport Police in their initiative to increase reporting of such offences, which thankfully are a relatively rare occurrence.”

British Transport Police can be contacted on 0800 40 50 40 or by texting 61016. Incidents away from the railway should be reported on 101 or 999 in an emergency.