A SEXUAL predator from Lees has been jailed for three years after targeting a woman and a teenage girl on busy trams.
Tahir Ali has also been banned from any Metrolink service, platform or car park.
A court heard he intentionally touched the two females in a sexual manner after boarding trams in Manchester city centre, despite being challenged.
The 37-year-old groped a student after sitting next to him and weeks later pressed his body against the bottom of a 16-year-old girl, in front of her mother.
Now after being found guilty of two counts of sexual assault at Manchester Crown Court, he has been sentenced to three years in prison.
He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which bans him from the Metrolink network.
Working closely with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), an investigation by Greater Manchester Police ‘s Transport Unit commenced into the reports, with analysis of CCTV and witness and victim accounts from the tram network and platform.
Ali was identified from CCTV images, then charged and remanded.
“It is horrifying that you sexually assaulted a 16-year-old victim as her own mother was present in the tram carriage,” Judge Tom Gilbart told Ali.
“You were travelling on the Metrolink system for the purposes of sexual gratification.”
David Morton, defending, said Ali – who claimed he had been ‘set up’ – said of the behaviour: “These are compulsions that he has been hitherto unable to resist.”
Police hope the sentence reassures passengers they can use the transport network without concerns for their safety.
“Violence against women and girls will not be tolerated and our proactive patrols are the reason we provide visible enforcement and reassurance to all passengers,” said PC Matthew Cowin, of GMP’s Transport Unit.
“This investigation and the bravery of the victims to report and recount their experiences have ensured we have been able to apply and be granted a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which has strict restrictions in place to prevent re-offending due to the risk he poses because of his behaviour.”
TfGM’s TravelSafe Partnership Manager Kate Green added: “Tahir Ali used busy services to try and mask his offending, which he did brazenly and while surrounded by dozens of people.
“We are committed to ensuring our passengers feel safe and confident to use our region’s transport networks.
“While incidents like this are thankfully rare, I hope this sentence goes some way to reassuring customers, in particular women and girls, that we will do whatever we can to bring people like Tahir Ali to justice.”
All passengers are being encouraged by police and TfGM to report any incidents directly to officers and staff in person or by calling 101 in full confidence.
Alternatively, where women who may feel trapped and unable to call 101, they can use the LiveChat function on the GMP website www.gmp.police.uk to link in directly with a call handler.
The call points on platforms at stations and red call points on board trams can also connect people to the Bee Network 24/7 control room.
How to use GMP LiveChat: https://www.facebook.com/beenetworkgm/videos/948567542453970/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
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