'Nightmare' sexual predator banned from sitting next to women on trains after assaulting two women

A man who sexually assaulted two women has been dubbed "every lone female public transport passenger's nightmare" has been banned from sitting next to women on trains for 10 years.

Ramzi Hamrouni was found guilty by a jury at Cardiff Crown Court of sexually assaulting two female passengers travelling from Barry, Wales.

The Tunisian national has a sexual offences prevention order banning him from sitting next to women on trains in England and Wales for 10 years and has been jailed for 27 months.

The 39-year-old had denied the assaults claiming the women were lying but a jury heard details of the disgusting assaults with the first taking place on 16 August 2016.

The court heard that Hamrouni began touching a 20-year-old woman travelling home on a train with her family from Cardiff to Pontypridd.

According to Wales Online the defendant told the victim's mother she was beautiful and began ogling the victim's breasts

Jeffrey Jones prosecuting said he pushed his body up against hers as the victim "froze" and was "paralysed with fear and embarrassment".

Hamrouni then touched the woman and gestured for her to look at his groin as he touched himself before jumping off the train quickly, the jury was told.

A little over two weeks later, on 2 September, a 17-year-old girl was travelling home with a friend after a day out in Barry.

After harassing two other passengers, Hamrouni tried to engage the girl in conversation before touching her knee and undoing the zip on her jeans.

The court heard how Hamrouni put his finger inside her trousers and pulled up her top before fleeing the train.

Jones said the ordeal left the victim "tearful and upset" and she told a guard as Hamrouni left the train.

Judge Stephen Hopkins QC told Hamrouni according to Wales Online: "You subjected her to a persistent, degrading and frightening sexual assault."

Hamrouni, who moved to Wales around two years ago after marrying a British woman, handed himself into police following an appeal.