A man has pleaded guilty to the Bakerloo Line attempted rape of a lone woman on a late-night Tube train, following an investigation by British Transport Police.
Vincent Saxon, 54, of no fixed address, admitted the offence at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday 17 September. He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the same court on Friday 30 October.
The attack happened at around 11.40pm on Saturday 11 July. According to British Transport Police, Saxon approached a lone woman on the train between Waterloo and Lambeth North stations and exposed himself to her.
He then forcibly pulled the victim to the floor of the carriage and attempted to rape her. She fought back and fled the train when it stopped at Lambeth North, where she alerted station staff, who then called BTP.
Man tracked through the Tube after Bakerloo Line attempted rape
After the attack, Saxon stayed on the train and got off at Elephant and Castle Underground station. Officers searched the area but the man was not found.
An urgent investigation was launched, including a media and social media appeal that prompted several members of the public to come forward with information.
One anonymous caller rang police to say they had seen the appeal and that a man matching Saxon’s description was outside a shop on Fulham Palace Road. Officers went to the location and Saxon was arrested. He was taken into custody and later charged.
“First and foremost I would like to praise the victim for her bravery following what was clearly a terrifying ordeal. She was alone late at night when she was approached and attacked by Saxon without warning,” said BTP Detective Sergeant Krishan Appannah.
“She fought back ferociously against him before he fled. Her actions helped us recover vital forensic evidence that, along with our CCTV enquiries, would leave Saxon with no choice but to plead guilty.”
“He is a dangerous and predatory offender and I’m pleased to see that we have secured justice for this brave victim, hopefully it will now be able to bring her some form of closure.”
How the attacker was caught
Police said forensic evidence recovered after the woman fought back, combined with CCTV enquiries across the Tube network, left Saxon with no choice but to admit the offence. The force had released details of the manhunt in the days after the attack, and detectives described the response from the public as crucial to identifying him.
The tip-off that led Saxon’s arrest came from an anonymous caller who had seen the police appeal and recognised a man matching his description standing outside a shop on Fulham Palace Road in west London. Officers went straight to the location and detained him.
Sentencing due at Inner London Crown Court
Saxon, who is 54 and was born on 17 June 1972, remains in custody ahead of his sentencing on 30 October.
The case follows a string of sexual offences on the Tube network that have been reported this year, with British Transport Police urging anyone who is the victim of or witness to an offence on the Tube or railway network to text BTP on 61016.
Reporting based on British Transport Police.
