A Huddersfield man sexually assaulted a woman he sat beside on a train.
Muath Dahdal, 24, of Colne Road, Huddersfield, was convicted of sexual assault following a trial at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on Thursday, 7th September 2023.
Sexual assault is an offence under section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. It has a maximum penalty of 10 years' custody on conviction on indictment, 6 months' custody and/or an unlimited fine on summary conviction.
We have previously discussed the legalities surrounding sexual assault. In general terms the offence is committed if one person intentionally touches another without their consent and the nature of the touching is sexual. This encompasses a very broad range of possible interactions and not necessarily the defendant making direct contact with an intimate part of the victim's body.
The case has only been summarised in media reports, but the details are as follows.
Magistrates heard that 24-year-old Dahdal and his 28-year-old victim were travelling between Doncaster and Sheffield on a Northern Trains service on Thursday, 13th October 2022.
Dahdal approached the woman and took a seat next to her. He then committed what was described as a "sustained sexual assault" as he sat silently beside the terrified woman.
Both offender and victim left the train separately at Sheffield, where the woman reported the assault to a police officer standing on the platform.
Magistrates considered Dahdal's offence so serious that only a custodial sentence was appropriate. However, for reasons yet again unreported, they decided to suspend the custodial term.
He was sentenced to 26 weeks' custody suspended for 18 months.
Dahdal was also ordered to pay £300 in compensation to the victim and £200 in other costs (the surcharge value would be £154, so it looks like a small contribution towards prosecution costs has been ordered).
He will also be required to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders register for a period of seven years.
DC Lucy Broadbent, of the British Transport Police, said: "This was a horrible ordeal which left the young woman shaken and traumatised.
"Dahdal showed no remorse for his actions, denying the sexual assault and answering no comment in interview.
"We take all reports of sexual harassment and unwanted sexual behaviour seriously and will support victims throughout our investigations.
"If you are a victim of, or a witness to, a sexual offence on the railway - I urge you to report it to us by texting 61016 or via the Railway Guardian app. We will always take you seriously."
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