Abdulmanon Aliev, a 50-year-old man from Tajikistan living in Peckham, south-east London, was sentenced to 12 years in prison at Inner London Crown Court on Tuesday for attempting to rape a 13-year-old girl on a train. He was also ordered to serve two years on licence and will remain on the sex offenders register for life.
Attack on Southend to London train
On the afternoon of June 16 last year, Aliev positioned himself opposite the victim on a train from Southend to London and attempted to communicate with her using a translator app. When the girl moved seats, he followed and took an aisle seat, trapping her against the window, according to British Transport Police (BTP). He then carried out a sustained sexual assault until the train arrived at London Fenchurch Street, where the victim managed to break free and board another service before alerting authorities.
Arrest and conviction
BTP officers arrested Aliev 11 days later when plain-clothes officers spotted him in Peckham. A search of his home led to the seizure of the clothing he wore during the attack, and charges were brought the following day. In April, Aliev was convicted of attempted rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and three counts of sexual assault.
Tribute to victim and police response
BTP Detective Constable Elizabeth Cahill said: “Aliev singled out a vulnerable child and subjected her to one of the most abhorrent sexual assaults I’ve ever investigated. While the focus of attention will rightly be on him as the despicable sexual predator that he is, I want to pay tribute to the brave victim who reported him to police. His conviction and 12-year jail term would not have been possible without her account of what happened and her willingness to support our investigation. We take every sexual offence report extremely seriously, and we'll stop at nothing to ensure vile offenders like Aliev are put behind bars where they belong.”
