A man repeatedly sexually assaulted a teenager who was trying to make her way home after offering her a cigarette at London’s Euston station.
Claudiu Rizea was jailed for more than eight years after the attack on an 18-year-old woman at one of the capital’s central transport hubs.
Rizea was jailed for eight years and three months at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, June 28, following an investigation by the British Transport Police.
The young victim was left ‘deeply traumatised’ by the incident which happened in the early hours of a Friday morning.
Rizea, described as a ‘dangerous sexual predator,’ was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
Rizea, of Stanley Road, Harrow, was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228.
The court heard how the incident unfolded in the early hours of September 8, 2023 at Euston station.
Rizea first approached the woman outside the station under the disguise of offering her a cigarette.
But he then followed her to Westminster Tube station before approaching her again.
The predator tried to hug and kiss her before exposing himself to her when she reached Baker Street Underground station.
The woman moved away, only for Rizea to then drag her out of the station and sexually assault her.
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The terrified woman managed to escape and make her way back into the station, but Rizea followed her.
He repeatedly approached her again and grabbed her arms and hair and again tried to drag her away.
The victim then managed to get to relative safety by locking herself in a cubicle at the station toilets.
When Rizea tried to get inside, he was prevented from continuing his depraved attack by a member of the rail staff.
But her nightmare was not over yet.
As the young woman returned to the platform she saw Rizea walking towards again.
She alerted station staff, who called the police and they arrested Rizea.
Investigating officer DC Gemma Lee said: ‘Despite her repeated attempts to flee, Rizea remained undeterred and determined to carry out his hideous and sustained sexual attack and subject her to further distress by following her across the city.
‘Rizea is a dangerous sexual predator, who, thanks to the bravery of this young woman is now behind bar where he belongs.’
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