LANCAO

A woman who was sexually assaulted at Euston said station workers told her ‘they had seen a lot worse’ before letting her attacker back out onto the street.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she was about to get on the train home to Hertfordshire in July when she saw a man sat in a carriage with his trousers down his legs and his hands cupping his genitals.

But despite asking three separate staff members for help, she said she was met with ‘disinterest and incompetence’.

She told Metro: ‘I’m outraged by the fact this man felt so entitled to do this, because he knew there would absolutely no consequences.

‘I was the only one around and called up the platform because I didn’t want to leave him in case he walked away. I wanted to make sure something was done.

‘I grabbed the first person who came by – a male cleaner – for help. I told him “help this guy has his d*** out”, but instead he just replied “not my job darling”.

‘Another employee at the station the came along. He saw it, said “f***ing hell are you alright?” He then grabbed a female member of staff, who then came up and told me she was going to go off duty, and there was nothing she could do.’

While sat waiting in a few carriages over, the male member of staff reappeared to tell her he had ‘seen a lot worse’, but promised her the man had been escorted off the carriage.

Station security also rang the victim the next day, letting her know they had held the man for 45 minutes but because British Transport Police didn’t show up, they had no choice but to release him.

But she was later told by police this was incorrect after CCTV showed him walking off the train, vaulting over the barriers and leaving the station.

She said: ‘Officers rang me saying they had reviewed CCTV footage and it showed the man was never escorted off the train. Instead he just got up and left and vaulted over the barriers while staff watched on – they didn’t even try to grab him.

‘He then left the station.’

It comes as the number of attacks against women and girl’s on Britain’s railways has increased by more than 50% over the last two years.

A British Transport Police survey found more than a third of women have been subjected to sexual harassment or assaults while commuting on train or tube.

They also found most sexual offences take place during the evening rush hour on busy train carriages.

Now police are desperately trying to find the man to stop him from assaulting anyone else.

The victim said: ‘He was a fare dodger, so there are no traces of him tapping in or out and buying a ticket. Two reports were made of him.

‘For about two weeks I was so jumpy and scared. It was ridiculous because I found myself checking if men had their clothes on.’

A Network Rail spokesperson said: ‘We’re urgently investigating this shocking incident at Euston.

‘All station staff, whether they work for Network Rail, a train operator or a contractor, should always look to help any passenger in distress and seek suitably qualified aid and assistance.

‘We are sincerely sorry for the way this matter was handled at the time.’

British Transport Police said: ‘Officers investigating an incident of indecent exposure on a train at Euston railway station in July have today released this image in connection.

‘At around 8.30pm on 30 July, on a train bound for Milton Keynes, a man exposed himself to several people. He left the train at Euston before it had departed.

‘Officers believe the man in the images may have information which could help with their investigation.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.