A 33-year-old man from North London who followed a young woman onto a Tube carriage and sexually assaulted her before being restrained by fellow passengers has been sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.
Siljan Lacaj, of Haringey, appeared for sentence following a targeted investigation by British Transport Police into sexual offending on the London Underground network.
The court was told that the incident occurred shortly before 9:30 pm on 3 November 2025 at Leicester Square Underground station. The victim was sitting alone on a platform bench when Lacaj approached and took a seat next to her, initiating unwanted conversation and asking intrusive personal questions. Seeking to get away from him, the woman boarded an arriving Piccadilly line service.
Lacaj pursued her onto the train and deliberately took a seat directly beside her inside the carriage, where he proceeded to commit a sexual assault.
Two passengers sitting nearby observed the woman’s visible distress and asked her directly if she had any connection to Lacaj. When she indicated that she did not know him, several passengers ordered Lacaj to step away from her. Passengers moved the woman away to ensure her safety, at which point Lacaj responded with hostility, triggering a physical confrontation inside the carriage. An off-duty Metropolitan Police officer present on the train intervened, subdued Lacaj, and arrested him on suspicion of sexual assault.
During subsequent police questioning, Lacaj claimed he had only been attempting to assist the woman on her journey home, before refusing to answer any further operational questions during his formal interview.
Under the provisions of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 and Section 49 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, all victims of sexual offences are protected by automatic, lifelong statutory anonymity. Publishing, broadcasting, or disseminating any details, names, addresses, or images capable of leading to the public identification of the complainant is strictly prohibited under UK law.
Lacaj was convicted of:
Sexual assault
The court sentenced Lacaj to an immediate custodial term of 12 months’ imprisonment. Under standard UK determinate sentencing rules, he will serve up to 50 per cent of the term in prison custody before becoming eligible for conditional release on licence under probation service supervision.
Alongside the custodial sentence, the court ordered:
A five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) containing strict conditions that prohibit him from approaching, communicating with, or touching any unfamiliar woman, as well as barring him from sitting beside or directly near women in public settings
Mandatory notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register for a duration of 10 years under the provisions of the Sexual Offences Act 2003
Image – Anonymous Artist Impression
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