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A Nigerian man, Esosa Eguakin has been jailed for sexually assaulting two women on trains travelling from Hampshire to London, UK following an investigation by the British Transport Police (BTP).
Eguakin pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on Tuesday, 10 February, at Guildford Crown Court.
He was also handed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which restricts several 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 service shortly after 7.15am and deliberately sat behind a woman in her 30s, whom he sexually assaulted.
On 6 October, shortly after 6am on a service from Eastleigh to London Waterloo, he assaulted another woman. 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 detained him at the station until other officers arrived and took him into custody. A subsequent BTP investigation into both incidents led to him being charged with two counts of sexual assault.
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,” as quoted by British Transport Police.
