A man who grabbed a young woman's hair on a train and asked, "Can I kiss you?" has become the first person convicted under a new sex-based harassment law introduced by British Transport Police (BTP).
David Stroud, 44, from Dartford, Kent, pleaded guilty at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Thursday, May 7, to harassing the woman because of her sex. The incident occurred on April 3, just two days after the new law came into effect, which prohibits intentional harassment motivated by a person's sex.
The Incident
Prosecutor Paul Okebu told the court that Stroud sat next to the woman on a train departing Hastings at approximately 8:50 PM. The victim was on the phone with her boyfriend at the time. Stroud attempted to engage her in conversation, but she tried to ignore him as a lone female traveler.
The court heard that Stroud "constantly leaned onto the woman," moved closer, and made comments such as "you're magical." He then grabbed her hair, which the victim perceived as sexual in nature. She also noted the smell of alcohol on his breath. The woman said she felt "very uncomfortable" and "cornered," and explicitly told Stroud to stop touching her hair. Despite her protests, Stroud continued to try to converse and asked, "Can I kiss you?" to which she replied, "Absolutely not."
Stroud, a father of two, then told the woman, "You're never going to find someone who loves your hair as much as I do." She responded, "I already have someone." The victim's boyfriend, who heard the exchange over the phone, contacted BTP, leading to Stroud's arrest at London Bridge station.
Defense and Sentencing
Under caution, Stroud claimed, "It's just banter, we had banter together," adding, "I've done nothing wrong to her." However, his defense lawyer, Alex Chowdhury, stated that Stroud had "reflected" on his actions after reviewing court papers and realized it was "a lot more than that."
Prosecutor Okebu emphasized the seriousness of the offense, noting, "This is a matter which on another day in different circumstances may have amounted to a sexual assault. It is a serious offence, targeting of a lone woman on public transport late in the evening."
Magistrates ordered a pre-sentence report, and Stroud is scheduled to be sentenced at the same court on June 9.
New Law Context
The conviction is the first under Section 4B of the Public Order Act 1986, which criminalizes intentional harassment because of a person's sex. The Home Office stated that the law covers harassment in public places, including streets, parks, and public transport. BTP noted that the provision "strengthens existing public order powers by criminalising behaviour which causes intentional harassment, alarm or distress because of a person's sex or presumed sex."
Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips previously warned, "If you harass someone in public because of their sex, it will not be tolerated and you can face a criminal record and up to two years behind bars."
