In 2024, Ilie Preda, the South London Sex Offender, who assaulted a 16-year-old girl on a train, was released from court without penalty.
Ilie Preda, aged 56, was aboard a train moving between Wimbledon and Waterloo at approximately 4 PM on April 24, 2021.
Three girls, aged 16 to 18, were also aboard the train and reported observing Ilie Preda dancing and referring to himself as Captain Morgan, stated prosecutor Gregor McKinley.
The defendant subsequently became intrusive and attempted to engage in conversation with the three girls. Mr McKinley stated that he expressed his affection to one of the girls by saying, ‘I love you,’ and attempted to advance towards her for a kiss.
The females instructed Ilie Preda to withdraw, and upon the train’s arrival at Wimbledon, they attempted to disembark.
However, Ilie Preda thereafter approached the 16-year-old girl, attempted to embrace her, and directed his hands towards her thighs in an effort to raise her skirt.
He subsequently attempted to make contact with the 18-year-old girl’s behind.
The event was reported to the British Transport Police, and Ilie Preda was apprehended upon disembarking the train at Waterloo.
This sexual assault occurred about a week after Ilie Preda instilled fear in the public by brandishing a plastic replica firearm in the Kingsbury vicinity.
On April 8, 2021, at approximately 4 PM, law enforcement received two reports indicating that a firearm was being aimed at them.
One woman, who was sitting in a car on Brampton Road, said: “He locked eyes with me, took the gun from his waist area and raised it at me. He then walked towards me while imitating the fire action.”
Another man said, “I thought he would kill me or someone else. He was pointing the gun at other people who seemed to be ducking out of the way.”
Whilst the man was on the phone to the police, Ilie Preda walked towards him and pretended to pull the trigger.
He said that at the time he thought a bullet had got stuck in the barrel of the gun, which was why it was not firing.
Ilie Preda was arrested near the scene, and it was only then that police discovered it was not a real gun.
Ilie Preda said he had been at a children’s party and was carrying a toy gun for his son in a carrier bag.
He said he saw a man standing outside his home, so he took the plastic gun out of the bag and pretended to shoot as a joke.
Ilie Preda said he was walking around making a “tat tat” shooting noise and didn’t believe people would think it was real.
Ilie Preda said, “Poor joke,” and said the incident may have stemmed from cultural differences, as he had only moved to the UK from Romania in 2018.
Think this line is missing words before “poor joke”
Judge Usha Karu, Recorder of Southwark, said: “It’s not a cultural difference to think it’s ok to go around in public pretending to fire an imitation gun. I’m sure that’s not what they do in Romania.”
On Tuesday (December 12), Ilie Preda appeared in court to be sentenced for sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, possessing an imitation firearm, failing to surrender and a Section 4 public order offence.
Judge Karu sentenced him to six months in prison, suspended for one year.
Ilie Preda will be required to register with the police for seven years under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
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