A 50-year-old Tajikistan national has been convicted of a prolonged sexual assault on a 13-year-old girl aboard a train in London. Abdulmanon Aliev, a resident of south London, was found guilty at Inner London Crown Court after a week-long trial on two counts of assault by penetration, three counts of sexual assault, and attempted rape.
The incident occurred on June 16 last year on a train from Southend to London. Aliev approached the victim, attempting to communicate via a translator app on his phone. When the girl moved away, he followed and sat next to her in an aisle seat, blocking her exit. He then subjected her to a sustained attack until the train arrived at London Fenchurch Street station, where she escaped and boarded another train heading back out of London.
The girl reported the assault to members of the public, who found her in a distressed state, and police were alerted. British Transport Police detectives from the Major, Serious and Organised Crime team reviewed hours of CCTV footage to track Aliev's movements. He was arrested on June 27 in Peckham by plain-clothes officers, and his home was searched, with the clothes he wore during the attack seized.
Detective Constable Elizabeth Cahill praised the victim's bravery, stating: 'Aliev singled out a vulnerable child and subjected her to one of the most abhorrent sexual assaults I’ve ever investigated.' She added that the verdict was possible due to the victim's account and willingness to support the investigation. Aliev is due to be sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on June 17.
