ILIE PREDA'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN LONDON: TRAIN SEXUAL ASSAULT AND DANGEROUS GUN PRANK
A 56-year-old man named Ilie Preda has recently been at the center of two disturbing incidents in London, one involving a sexual assault on a teenage girl aboard a train, and the other involving a reckless imitation gun display that terrified local residents.Despite the severity of his actions, Preda was allowed to walk free from court, raising concerns about justice and public safety.
On April 24, 2021, around 4 pm, Preda was traveling on a train between Wimbledon and Waterloo.
During this journey, he engaged in bizarre and inappropriate behavior that quickly escalated into a serious criminal offense.
Three young women, aged between 16 and 18, were also on the train and observed Preda dancing around while calling himself 'Captain Morgan,' a nickname he apparently adopted during the incident, according to prosecutor Gregor McKinley.
As the train continued its route, Preda's behavior became increasingly bothersome.
He attempted to initiate conversations with the three girls, one of whom he told, 'I love you,' and then made an aggressive move towards her, trying to kiss her.
The girls, alarmed by his conduct, told Preda to back off.
When the train reached Wimbledon station, the girls attempted to disembark to escape his unwanted attention.
However, Preda did not desist.
Instead, he moved towards the 16-year-old girl, attempting to embrace her and making an aggressive gesture by trying to lift her skirt.
His actions did not stop there; he also tried to touch the 18-year-old girl on her bottom.
These sexual advances and assaults prompted the girls to report the incident to British Transport Police.
Preda was subsequently arrested as he disembarked at Waterloo station.
This disturbing episode occurred just a week after Preda had caused public alarm in the Kingsbury area of London.
On April 8, 2021, around 4 pm, police received multiple calls reporting a man with what appeared to be a real firearm.
Witnesses described a man locking eyes with them, drawing a gun from his waistband, and raising it in a threatening manner.
One woman, sitting in her car on Brampton Road, recounted that Preda took the gun, raised it at her, and mimicked firing it as he approached her.
Another man described feeling terrified as Preda pointed the weapon at others, causing them to duck for cover.
While on the phone with police, the man, later identified as Preda, approached the caller and pretended to pull the trigger.
The police responded swiftly, arresting Preda near the scene.
It was only then that officers discovered the gun was a plastic toy, not a real firearm.
Preda explained that he had been at a children's party and was carrying the toy gun in a carrier bag for his son.
He claimed he saw a man outside his home and, as a joke, took out the toy gun to pretend to shoot, making a 'tat tat' noise.
He admitted to walking around making shooting sounds, believing that it was harmless and not mistaken for a real weapon.
Preda attempted to justify his actions by suggesting that his behavior was a 'poor joke' and hinted that cultural differences might have influenced his conduct.
He explained that he had only moved to the UK from Romania in 2018 and perhaps did not fully understand the local norms.
However, Judge Usha Karu, Recorder of Southwark, was clear in her disapproval, stating, 'It’s not a cultural difference to think it’s okay to go around in public pretending to fire an imitation gun.
I’m sure that’s not what they do in Romania.' On December 12, Preda appeared in court to face sentencing for multiple charges, including sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, possessing an imitation firearm, failing to surrender, and a Section 4 public order offense.
The judge sentenced him to six months in prison, suspended for one year, meaning he will not serve time immediately but will be under supervision and subject to conditions.
Additionally, Preda is required to register with the police for seven years under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, reflecting the seriousness of his sexual misconduct and the ongoing risk he poses to the public.
