Newcastle man dodges jail after sick TransPennine Express sex assaults
Chilling attacks on two women aboard train
Hamada Salah, an asylum seeker living in Newcastle, has been handed a suspended sentence after terrifying two women with sexual assaults on a TransPennine Express train.
Salah targeted lone females in separate carriages during the journey, causing distress and fear.
- First victim: He tried to grope a woman under a table, brushing her legs and attempting to peek up her skirt. The terrified woman described feeling utterly unsafe and violated.
- Second victim: Moving to another carriage, Salah showed explicit porn images on his phone to an elderly woman, rubbed his groin near her, and made lewd remarks, including calling one woman “the perfect age for sex.”
Witnesses say Salah laughed when caught flashing obscene images.
Judge calls it a “terrible ordeal” but lets Salah off
Despite the horrors faced by the victims, Judge Carolyn Scott gave Salah a 44-week suspended sentence, allowing him to stay in the community under strict conditions.
The court slapped Salah with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), banning him from contacting unknown women on public transport and imposing other restrictions aimed at stopping further offences.
Public outrage over lenient sentence
The decision has sparked anger among locals and commentators who say women’s safety on public transport is being overlooked.
“Women should be able to travel without fear of harassment or assault. This sentence doesn’t match the harm done,” one critic said.
Calls grow for tougher action on sexual predators
The case raises serious questions about how the justice system balances rehabilitation with public safety in sexual offence trials.
Campaigners demand stronger protections for women on trains and harsher penalties for offenders to stop this nightmare replaying.
If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted on public transport, contact the British Transport Police by texting 61016 or call 999 in an emergency.
