Meron Habtu, 29, an Eritrean asylum seeker who falsely claimed to be a minor to live with a host family in Dorset, has been jailed for one year after sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on a train. The attack happened on 11 September 2022 on the train route from Bournemouth to Weymouth. Habtu was on bail for an earlier sexual offence when police arrested him for the assault.
Deceptive Age Claim
Habtu arrived illegally in the UK in 2020 and lied about his age, posing as a 17-year-old so he could be housed with a family. This false claim allowed him to live within the local community under the pretence of being a child.
Previous Sexual Offences
In 2021, Habtu sexually assaulted a drunk woman outside clubs in Weymouth. Despite this, he was released on bail before his next offence against the teenage girl on the train.
Attack On Train
The court heard how Habtu blocked the teenager after she left the toilet carriage, pinned her against the wall while calling himself “the tracker,” and touched her breast multiple times over her clothing. Habtu denied the charge but was convicted following trial proceedings at Poole Magistrates’ Court.
Sentencing And Orders
Habtu was deemed a high-risk predator who failed to comply with previous court orders. He received a one-year custodial sentence, was placed on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years, and given a five-year sexual harm prevention order. Deportation remains a possible outcome.
