Eritrean Man Convicted of Train Assault

0:00On May 1st, a 29-year-old man from Eritrea, named Marin Habtou, just got convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on a train-in. Dorset, back in September of 2022, he came to the UK illegally in 2020, claiming he was only 17 when he was actually 24, landing him in a host family setup. Now with the prior sexual assault conviction on his record, he spacing serious jail time. Earlier that day, Habtou had been drinking, smelling of alcohol, and slurring his words after visiting friends in Bournemouth. On the train from Poul to Waymouth, he cornered the girl after she left the bathroom, complimented her looks, and ignored her saying she was 15, and not interested. He followed her, blocked her path, touched her breast multiple times, and even stroked her face. The girl was terrified, bursting into tears and escaping back to her friend, who saw her distress and helped her move carriages. They told the train guard at Dorchester Station, who confronted Habtou and noted his drunken state.

1:02She hasn't felt safe on public transport since, avoiding trains for a full year. In court at Poul magistrates, Habtou claimed through an interpreter that he just stumbled into her because of the train's movement and denied any. Intentional touching, blaming his upbringing against harming minors. But the judge called his story ludicrous and self-serving, pointing out he made unwanted advances on a child without consent. With aggravating factors like his history and the booze involved, officials are starting from a custodial sentence as they remand him in custody for. Sentencing later this month, leaving everyone watching how justice plays out here.