Judge fears Yorkshire 'train pervert' will strike again

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A sex offender indecently assaulted a terrified woman on a train in West Yorkshire.

Aaron Hardy, 29, propositioned the woman for sex before molesting her on the Doncaster to South Elmsall service on 18 November, the Yorkshire Evening Post reported.

Hardy denied a charge of sexual touching and was convicted after a trial at Wakefield Magistrates' Court.

A court heard that Hardy, of South Kirby near Pontefract, has a previous conviction for a similar sex offence in 2011.

Judge Peter Hollingworth remanded him in custody after finding him guilty of the sex assault.

He told Hardy's solicitor Kim Foley: 'I'm very worried about your client. I think he will do it again.'

The woman, who cannot be identified, told the court Hardy took the train at Doncaster and sat next to her before assaulting her.

Prosecutor Emma Trueman asked why she didn't get away from him and the victim said she felt very scared and 'froze' out of shock.

'He started being very crude and said "come to my house" and "I want to have sex with you,"' she said.

Hardy told police he talked to her about his Staffordshire Bull Terriers and invited her to his home for a 'cup of coffee.'

He said he asked her for a kiss and pecked her on the cheek when she agreed.

But Judge Hollingsworth said Hardy had 'lied throughout the whole tenor of this case' and found him guilty.

He said he was considering committing the case for sentence so a crown court judge could consider whether Hardy was a dangerous offender.

The judge told Mrs Foley: 'I'm very worried about your client. I'm very worried about him indeed.

'This is a man who, it seems to me, at Doncaster singled out this young lady. He gets on the train and sits next to her.'

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