May 2023

Jail for man who sexually assaulted teen on train

A man who sexually assaulted a young girl on a train has been jailed for more than eight years, following a British Transport Police investigation.

Urfan Arshad, aged 44, of Weastell Street, Middlesbrough, was sentenced to eight years and six months at Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday 16 May for the sexual assault and other non-BTP offences.

He was found guilty of the sexual assault following a trial in January.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for seven years.

The court heard how, on Friday, 11 December, 2020, Arshad sat across from the victim, who was 17 at the time, on a Transpennine service to Middlesbrough.

He engaged her in conversation before asking personal questions which she attempted to ignore.

He then leaned forward and took her phone from her, asking if he could make a call.

When he asked her to unlock it she instead made a call to a friend telling her to check her messages which she had sent earlier detailing how frightened she was that Arshad was touching her.

As she spoke to her friend Arshad continued to touch the victim’s leg under the table until she managed to move away.