A man who sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl who had boarded a train at Margate has been jailed for three years, following a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation.
Matthew Lewis, 55, and of Deerton Street, Sittingbourne, appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on 17 May where he pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault, and one count of breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), handed to him for previous offences on the railway.
On Thursday 29 September, Lewis was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years at Canterbury Crown Court.
At 9.30pm on Thursday 3 June 2021, the victim and her friend boarded the train at Margate station when they were approached by Lewis.
He began to speak to them and persistently made inappropriate comments towards both girls, asking to take them for a drink and suggesting they run away with him. He continued despite them insisting that they were only 16 years old.
Lewis proceeded to sit down next to the victim and sexually assault her.
Noticing them looking uncomfortable, a man who was sat nearby challenged Lewis’ behaviour and a group of passengers invited the girls to sit with them further down the carriage.
The girls moved away and got off the train at Rainham when they noticed Lewis had also alighted. They pointed him out to two members of rail staff who reported the offence to BTP.
Officers immediately attended and arrested Lewis at the scene.
Appearing drunk, the officers evidenced a breach of his CBO which restricted him from travelling on the network while intoxicated.
BTP Detective Constable Stephen Gadd, said: “Lewis is a dangerous individual who subjected a young girl to extremely unacceptable sexual behaviour, and I’m pleased to see him behind bars.
“His actions left the victim and her friend feeling hugely distressed, and I want to thank them for bravely reporting the incident and supporting our investigation. No one should experience such vile behaviour as they travel.
“If you experience or witness a sexual offence on the railway, I strongly urge you to report it to us by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40. We will always take you seriously. In an emergency always dial 999.”
What a piece of scum!
Well done the other passengers who noticed the girls’ plight and stepped in.
Pity they couldn’t just chuck him off the train-while it was moving.
it would be better to chuck the thing under a moving train – filthy scum
Vile beast, i hope he gets what he deserves.
Bring back the death penalty, if that was brought back crime would cut in half straight away. As they know when they commit crimes now they end up in butlins prisons with everything on tap and at there command
Chop it off!!
Parasite, bring the death penalty back!
A horrible disgusting thing of a person the sentence is no way long enough and being on the sex offenders list will not stop him doing it again, in 18 months he will be out looking for another young girl to mess her life up, well done to the other passengers for helping girls out, and there sense to inform platform staff about him. Just think what might have happened if platform staff had not been there, they won’t be if railway has its way as I understand it.
It brought back a memorie off when i was sitting in kfc in ramsgate,when i saw some scruffy man peering through the window at some children who were sitting by the window,the parents told the staff,but did nothing,but i got up went outside confronted him and told him to go away,he did not move at first,but he did when i just stood my ground. Where are the police when u need them?
Sounds like it’s a gangstalker (search for gangstalking on bitchute.com).
Hi Claude,, It does sound very much so have listened to the young 20ish American man who speaks about narcissistic gangstalker/stalking and its interesting listening to his thoughts its about 20 minutes long it is on the bitchute site as you point out, I found it very troublesome to hear a lot of the stuff on their