Man who pressed groin against pregnant woman on the tube jailed

A man who pressed his groin against a pregnant woman on the tube has been jailed for 10 months and banned from talking to women he doesn't know in public for five years.

Zane Donovan, 25, cornered the expectant mother on the Victoria line and pushed himself against her from behind for around 20 seconds.

When she confronted him, Donovan claimed he had nowhere else to stand, insisting he had "no space".

He got onto the Underground train at Green Park in central London at around 6.30pm on 25 March, when the victim immediately felt a man pressing against her, police said.

She then turned round to ask what he was doing and Donovan replied: "How do you want me to stand, I got no space."

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Police examined CCTV and Donovan was arrested several days later.

At Inner London Crown Court on 22 June, Donovan was jailed for 41 weeks after pleading guilty to sexual assault.

A judge handed him a five-year sexual harm prevention order, banning him from trying to speak to any women in a public place who he does not know - including on public transport.

Donovan, from Dagenham, east London, was also ordered to sign the sex offender’s register for 10 years.

Detective Constable Brittany Armstrong, of the British Transport Police (BTP), urged others who suffer "pressing" in a crowded place to report it as a sexual offence.

She added: “This incident was particularly alarming and distressing for the victim, and I’m pleased to see Donovan behind bars for such inappropriate behaviour.

“Some people may not consider pressing a sexual offence, or serious enough to report especially in a crowded environment, however in the eyes of the law this is sexual assault and offenders will be caught and punished accordingly.”

BTP told anyone who suffers or witnesses harassment or sex offences on the Underground or train network to report it to officers by texting 61016.