A Nigerian man, Esosa Eguakin, has been jailed for sexually assaulting two women on trains travelling from Hampshire to London in the United Kingdom following an investigation by the British Transport Police (BTP).
Eguakin pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and was sentenced to two years in prison on Tuesday, 10 February, at Guildford Crown Court.
He was also given a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which places restrictions on his activities, including sitting or standing next to or opposite lone women.
The court heard that on 21 August last year, Eguakin boarded a Fratton to London Waterloo train shortly after 7:15am and deliberately sat behind a woman in her 30s, whom he sexually assaulted.
On 6 October, at about 6am, he assaulted another woman on a service from Eastleigh to London Waterloo. When confronted, he claimed he was trying to retrieve a phone he had dropped. He refused to move away, prompting an off-duty police officer to escort him off the train at Woking.
The officer arrested Eguakin and held him at the station until other officers arrived and took him into custody. A later investigation by the British Transport Police linked him to both incidents, leading to two charges of sexual assault.
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BTP Detective Constable David Stewart said:
“Eguakin’s behaviour was predatory and deeply distressing for both victims. No one should feel unsafe or be subjected to such violations as they travel.
“I want to thank the women involved for their courage in supporting our investigation, as well as the off-duty officer whose swift actions prevented further harm. This sentence, along with the SHPO, sends a clear message that we will pursue offenders and ensure they are held to account.
“If you experience or witness a sexual offence on a train or at a station, please report it to us by texting 61016. In an emergency, always call 999. We take every report seriously and will stop at nothing to bring sexual offenders like Eguakin to justice.”
