Man who sexually assaulted schoolgirl in Tooting – police issue photo

Police are releasing the image of a man they want to speak to after a teenager was sexually assaulted on a bus on her way home from school.

On 19 October, 2017, the victim, a female in her early teens was on the Route 77 bus home from school at approximately 15:15hrs.

The bus was heading in the direction of Tooting Broadway Station.

The victim was stood on the lower deck.

As the bus was moving, the suspect moved to stand next to the victim and kept leaning into her.

As the bus stopped at Wimbledon Road the suspect used his left hand to touch the victim inappropriately and brushed his hand over her leg.

The victim immediately got off the Route 77 bus and changed to the bus behind going in the same route to avoid being near the suspect. She called her friends who were still on the 77, who followed him into Tooting Broadway Station and reported his actions to a member of staff in the station.

The victim got off the following bus as she could see the route 77 she was assaulted on had stopped. The victim told the bus driver of the route 77 bus who informed the control room, who in-turn called the police.

The suspect is described as an Asian male wearing glasses and short grey facial hair. He was wearing a black coat at the time of the offence and believed to be aged between 30-40 and around 5ft 7in.

Police Constable Jonathan Weller from the Met’s Road and Transport Policing Command, said: “No one should have to suffer sexual assault at any point in their lives. We will not tolerate any form of sexual incidents and we strongly urge anyone who has been a victim of this crime to call police and report it.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101 and quote 5094/10Oct17. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.