British Transport Police (BTP) have condemned the “sickening” actions of a man who sexually assaulted two women on a crowded train in Fife last year.
Attack on crowded train
Jamie Muir carried out the “opportunistic” attack just minutes after boarding a train from Inverkeithing to Edinburgh on November 16. BTP said the train had been “extremely busy” because of a rugby match between Scotland and Argentina at Murrayfield later that day.
After boarding, the 33-year-old stood behind two women, and shortly after the train left Inverkeithing he began to sexually assault them, using the crowd to disguise his actions.
Victim confronts attacker
BTP said one of the women turned around and confronted Muir, and that Muir apologised and claimed not to know where he was. Other passengers on the train then intervened and “encouraged” Muir to get off the train – and he did so when it reached North Queensferry.
Once the train reached Edinburgh Waverley, the women reported the incident to officers at the station. BTP said images of Muir were shared with other police forces in a bid to trace him, and Muir was subsequently identified and arrested.
Sentencing
Muir, from Dunfermline, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault. At Dunfermline Sheriff Court on April 29, he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment and was also placed on the sex offender register for 10 years.
DC Crawford Gillies said: “Muir’s actions were opportunistic and sickening, so I’m very pleased with the sentence handed down to him that should provide him ample time to consider his actions. There is absolutely no place for this type of behaviour anywhere on the railway network, and we take every report of this kind of behaviour seriously. If you ever need us while you’re travelling on the railway, you can discreetly text us on 61016. Our officers can meet the train at the next station, and we’ll stop at nothing to bring sexual offenders to justice.”
