A WOMAN sexually assaulted while she slept on a Birmingham-bound train bravely turned the tables on her alleged attacker by tracking him down and taking his picture.
The victim, aged 29, fell asleep as she travelled on a 6.30am train from London Euston to Birmingham New Street.
She woke to find a man groping her chest and quickly moved into another carriage to avoid her assailant.
Pc Nicola Salisbury, investigating officer from British Transport Police, said: “The victim awoke to find something pressing on her rib cage and chest.
“She quickly realised it was the hand of a male passenger whom she did not know.
“The woman got up immediately and moved away from the man.
“Although uninjured, she was left extremely shocked and upset by the man’s behaviour.”
Police said the calm and collected victim had the presence of mind to later return to the carriage where she was attacked to photograph her alleged attacker while he himself was sleep.
Three months on from the attack, no one had been arrested or even questioned in connection with the assault.
The lack of leads prompted police to take the unusual step of circulating the victim’s photo as part of a new appeal.
Shortly after it was published, members of the public contacted police saying they knew the man pictured and could offer information on where he might be.
A British Transport Police spokesman said no one had yet been arrested but that officers were closing in on the male, having been given the same name in several tip-offs.
“I would urge anyone who knows who this man is, or his current whereabouts, to contact police straight away,” the spokesman said.