Detectives are asking for the public’s help to identify a man pictured in connection with a sexual assault on a late-night train travelling out of Charing Cross.
British Transport Police (BTP) said the woman was attacked on board a Southeastern service heading towards London Bridge on the evening of 23 September.
Shortly before 10pm, a man boarded the train at Charing Cross and sat down beside a woman who was travelling alone in the carriage, even though other seats nearby were unoccupied. He is then reported to have sexually assaulted her, the force said.
Officers have now released an image of a man detectives believe may have information that could assist the investigation, and they are keen to speak to him.
Anyone who recognises the man in the image, or who was travelling on the service that evening and saw what happened, is being urged to come forward.
Witnesses can contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 856 of 23 September. Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Charing Cross is one of the capital’s busiest mainline termini, with Southeastern running frequent services from the station to destinations across south-east London and Kent, including London Bridge.
Detectives stressed that even small details could prove significant. Passengers who remember seeing the man board the train, noticing where he sat, or observing anything unusual during the journey are asked to contact the force, even if they are unsure whether what they saw is relevant.
How to report a crime on the railway
Passengers who witness a crime on a train or at a station can report it discreetly by texting British Transport Police on 61016. The service is designed for situations where making a phone call might feel unsafe or attract unwanted attention, and officers say it is monitored around the clock.
When getting in touch, it helps to include where you were, which service you were travelling on, the time it happened and a description of anyone involved. In an emergency, or if a crime is unfolding in front of you, you should always dial 999.
You can also speak to station staff, use a platform help point, or make a report through the BTP website. Reports do not have to come from the victim: third-party and anonymous reports can still give detectives the lead they need.
BTP encourages passengers to save the 61016 number in their phones before they travel, so it is there if they ever need it.
Image appeals are a key tool for transport detectives
Releasing images of people officers want to identify is one of the most effective tactics available to transport police, who can draw on thousands of CCTV cameras across the rail network. Appeals of this kind have previously helped BTP trace witnesses and suspects within hours of publication.
The force has issued similar appeals in London in recent months, including after a woman was assaulted at Baker Street Tube station and CCTV images were released following an attack near Vauxhall station.
Such investigations can and do lead to convictions. A stalker who targeted women on the Piccadilly Line was jailed for a sexual assault at Leicester Square earlier this year following a BTP investigation.
BTP said its enquiries into the Charing Cross incident are continuing, and officers are particularly keen to hear from fellow passengers who were in the same carriage that evening. The force said it takes all reports of sexual offences on the railway extremely seriously, and that specialist officers are available to support victims.
