Siljan Lacaj, 33, of Palace Road in Haringey, has been jailed for one year after being found guilty of sexual assault on the London Underground. The sentence, handed down at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Thursday, September 24, also includes a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) that prohibits him from speaking to, approaching, or touching any woman he does not know, and specifically bars him from sitting next to or near any woman.
Assault at Leicester Square station
The incident occurred at approximately 9.30pm in November last year, when Lacaj targeted a lone woman sitting on a bench at the end of the platform at Leicester Square Underground station. According to British Transport Police (BTP), Lacaj approached the woman, sat next to her, and began asking persistent personal questions.
He then followed her onto a Piccadilly line train, where he sat next to her again before sexually assaulting her. The attack was noticed by two other passengers on the train, who asked the victim if she knew Lacaj. When she shook her head, other passengers began shouting at him and demanded he move away.
Passengers intervene and arrest follows
The situation escalated when Lacaj became aggressive. Other passengers moved the victim to safety, and a fight broke out between Lacaj and several passengers. An off-duty Metropolitan Police officer who was on the train intervened and arrested Lacaj on suspicion of sexual assault.
At the time of his arrest, Lacaj claimed he was simply trying to help the woman get home. However, in interview, he showed no remorse for his actions and refused to answer any questions put to him by investigators.
Court sentence and protective measures
In addition to the one-year prison sentence and the SHPO, Lacaj was ordered to sign the sex offender's register for a period of 10 years. The SHPO is designed to protect women from further incidents by restricting his contact with women he does not know.
BTP Detective Constable Dominika Rogers commented on the case, stating: "Lacaj's behaviour was appalling. He deliberately subjected a young woman, who was travelling alone, to a prolonged assault for his own gratification. There is simply no place for conduct like this on the railway network, and I am pleased that he has been held accountable for his actions."
DC Rogers also praised the victim and the witnesses, saying: "I would like to pay tribute to the victim for the courage and resilience she showed in coming forward and reporting what happened. I cannot praise the two women on the train enough for noticing what was happening and stepping in to support and protect her. Their actions undoubtedly made a difference and demonstrate the importance of looking out for one another when someone is in need of help."
DC Rogers urged anyone who has experienced or witnessed sexual offending on the railway network to report it to BTP by texting 61016, adding: "so that we can secure the justice you deserve."
