A man who grabbed a woman’s hair and subjected her to unwanted sexual comments on a train has been sentenced in the first case of its kind under a new law tackling sex-based harassment.

David Stroud, 44, of Dartford, Kent, previously pleaded guilty to intentionally harassing the woman because of her sex following an incident on a train travelling to London on 3 April 2026 – just two days after new legislation came into force.

He also previously pleaded guilty to a separate stalking offence involving a different victim.

Stroud was sentenced to a 12-month community order, 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work for both offences at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court today, Tuesday 9 June.

He was also given a five-year restraining order for the stalking offence and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £114 surcharge.

Jennifer McDowall, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS West Midlands, said: “David Stroud repeatedly harassed a woman travelling alone on a train, ignoring her clear requests to stop and leaving her feeling distressed and unsafe.

“What he initially dismissed as ‘banter’ was in fact criminal and he now has a conviction as a result.

“This case sends a clear message that behaviour like this is not harmless and will not be tolerated.”

A court previously heard Stroud sat next to the woman, who was travelling alone, and made repeated inappropriate comments before grabbing her hair and asking if he could kiss her.

Despite the woman showing she was not wanting to engage, and telling Stroud to stop, he continued his behaviour, causing the victim to feel uncomfortable and cornered.

Stroud initially claimed his actions were “just banter” when questioned by police, however he later accepted his behaviour was illegal and pleaded guilty to causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress to a person because of their sex, or presumed sex.

This case is the first conviction under the new offence of sex-based harassment, introduced to better protect women and girls in public spaces, which can carry a maximum sentence of up to two years in prison.

Olivia Rose, Crown Prosecution Service national stalking lead, said: “This landmark case under a new law tackling sex-based harassment signals an important step forward in protecting women and girls in public spaces.

“Anyone can be a victim of this type of behaviour – but we know women and girls are disproportionately affected.

“We will continue to play our part in stamping out violence against women and girls and to make sure everyone can feel safe going about their daily lives.”

Detective Superintendent Sam Painter, of British Transport Police, said: “We urged the government to introduce this new legislation to bolster our ongoing efforts in tackling sex-based harassment on the railway.

“David Stroud is the first man to be convicted of a Section 4B offence, but this is just the start. Since the legislation was introduced two months ago, we have made 26 arrests - all men - for this offence.

“Anyone who experiences or witnesses sexual harassment on trains or at stations are encouraged to report it to us by texting 61016. We will always do everything in our power to secure justice for victims.”

Speaking ahead of Stroud’s court appearance, the victim said: “Some men may see this case and dismiss David Stroud’s actions as banter or just someone being drunk, but they don’t have the same fears as women. David Stroud’s crime has impacted every part of my life.

“This justice proves it’s worth reporting to police as it will be taken seriously, as it was in my case. Nothing is going to change if these crimes are not reported and go unpunished.”

T/Detective Chief Superintendent Claire Hammond, from the National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP), said: “Women and girls should be able to live free from the fear of harm, harassment, and abuse, whether in private or in public.

“The outcome today shows the commitment of policing and partners to pursue perpetrators and raises awareness of this new legislation, highlighting our commitment to tackle misogyny and VAWG in all its forms.

“We want to encourage others to come forward, so that we can continue to take positive action, support victims, and bring offenders to justice, for the benefit of women and girls everywhere.”