MAN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED WOMAN ON TRAIN FROM STEVENAGE
A convicted sex offender responsible for attacking solitary women during late-night train journeys, including in Hertfordshire, has been sentenced to prison.Sebastian Vernon, aged 45 and residing on Finborough Road in west London, was convicted in Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court of two counts of sexual assault.
He received a six-month prison sentence on July 1 and was mandated to register as a sex offender for seven years.
The court was informed that the first assault occurred around 11 p.m.
on March 25, 2025, after Vernon boarded a Circle line train at Ladbrook Grove.
Although the carriage was empty, he sat beside a young woman and sexually assaulted her while she was seated.
The victim pretended to leave the train and only remained onboard after seeing Vernon disembark.
Two weeks later, on April 8, Vernon boarded a train from Stevenage to Hitchin shortly before midnight.
He again targeted a young woman in a nearly empty carriage, engaging her in casual conversation.
Sensing something was amiss, she moved away from her seat toward the doors.
She then realized Vernon had followed her, and as she waited to exit, he sexually assaulted her.
Both women reported their incidents via the British Transport Police’s 61016 text service and online reporting platform.
Authorities tracked Vernon to a central London court, where he was arrested as he left a hearing related to unrelated charges of assault, theft, and cannabis possession.
Detective Constable Iryna Cuthbert of the British Transport Police stated: "Vernon is an opportunistic predator who prowls late at night, targeting women traveling alone on trains before attacking them.
I commend the bravery of the two women for reporting what happened and supporting our investigation, which has led to another sex offender being behind bars.
Addressing sexual offenses on the railway is a top priority for BTP, and we urge anyone who experiences or witnesses such crimes to report them by texting 61016.
We take every report seriously, and offenders like Vernon will be brought to justice."
