Train Sex Attacker Found Guilty
22 August 2012, 11:33 | Updated: 22 August 2012, 11:44
A sex attacker who preyed on lone women on trains has been told to expect a substantial prison sentence.
Jean Alexis targeted three women, including an off duty police officer, who were travelling between St. Pancras and Bedford.
He raped one woman in a train toilet, sexually assaulted another and tried to sexually the third.
The offences were all committed between October last year and February this year, usually late at night.
One woman, a hairdresser, was sexually assaulted as she travelled to work at 7 in the morning.
Alexis, 26, also stole from a male passenger as he slept.
Judge Philip Bartle QC praised the witnesses and said they had behaved with 'humanity'.
Alexis from The Ridings, Luton, continued to protest his innocence from the dock at Luton Crown Court after the jury had unanimously found him guilty of six charges.
He had pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence, common assault and two charges of theft.
Judge Bartle adjourned sentence for reports but said there will be "a significant period of imprisonment." Alexis will be sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court in September or October.
Prosecutor Isabel Delamere told the court the first offences involved an off duty police woman on October 25 last year. She was travelling from St Pancras to Bedford. At about 2.30am she got off at Leagrave station on the outskirts of Luton.
She was aware of a young man sprinting past her. She made her way to where she had left her car and heard footsteps behind her. when she turned to see the man she recognised him as someone she had previously arrested.
He said to her: "Next time I see you I am going to rob you. Just you wait to see what happens. I am going to take everything that you have. Wait and see, after I am done with you, no man will ever want to touch you again." She managed to get to her car and drive away.
His second victim got on a train at Flitwick station in Bedfordshire. It was the 7.04 in the moring on December 17 2011 and she was going to work in London as a hairdresser. She sat in the empty carriage and had headphones on. A man walked past her and made as if to go in the next carriage, but then he returned and spoke to her.
She took the headphones off and heard him say "You are beautiful" and he sat down opposite her and asked if she would be his girlfriend.
She said he turned the conversation to sex saying, "Have you head the rumours about black men?" and then he began touching her thigh. She said she was wearing shorts and he tried to put his hand up them.
On February 14 2012 a man who had been out with friends in London had made his way to St Pancras to get a train home to Bedfordshire. In the carriage he fell asleep. The defendant then stole a wallet and mobile from the bag.
It was on the same journey that the most serious offence was committed. A young woman had been to Luton on the evening of Feb 14 and late that night caught a train back to Bedford.
She was dragged into the toilets by Alexis, where he pushed her against a wall and raped her from behind. He put his hand over her mouth to stop her screaming and told her "Shut the f*** up bitch." He then stole her mobile phone when he left.