Man who raped sleeping woman on Tube train in front of child is jailed

A ‘depraved’ sex attacker who raped a woman as she slept on a busy morning London Underground service has been jailed.

Ryan Johnston subjected a 20-year-old woman to a shocking ordeal on the Piccadilly Line in front of horrified passengers, including a French tourist and his 11-year-old son.

The 37-year-old had chased two women to their home after they noticed him masturbating while looking through the window outside a house near Bounds Green Underground station on February 23, 2020.

He banged on their door and put his hand through the letterbox after the women managed to get inside at around 5am before he eventually left, British Transport Police said. 

Around three hours later, Johnston got on the Tube at Heathrow Terminal Five where he walked through the carriage and approached his sleeping victim.

Johnston then sexually assaulted and raped the woman, who was returning home from an evening out with friends, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

The attack was witnessed by a French national travelling with his young son and they reported the incident to police.

But the incident was not captured on CCTV and officers were unable to identify the victim at the time of the attack, the BTP said.

Johnston was arrested at HMP Brixton – where he was serving time for burglary – in December 2022, after a BTP review of historic rape cases led to his identification.

He was charged with rape, attempted rape and two counts of sexual assault, while he was also charged with outraging public decency in relation to another complainant.

Detectives also identified the victim in the same month.

The French national was flown over to the UK to testify at the trial, where they helped to rebut Johnston’s claim that he knew the complainant and that she had consented, the CPS said.

A jury found Johnston guilty of all five charges following a two-week trial at Inner London Crown Court in August.

Johnston was sentenced to nine years in prison with a further five years on licence and was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely at the same court on Friday.

Senior investigating officer, detective inspector Paul Attwell of the BTP’s major, serious and organised crime unit, said: ‘Johnston’s brazen attack in front of witnesses highlights his lack of shame or remorse for his actions, something which continued throughout his trial.

‘I am thankful his violence and despicable actions have been recognised by the guilty verdicts and significant sentence.

‘His depraved actions will have a life-long impact on the victim and those who witnessed this.

‘I am thankful for their bravery throughout this investigation. I hope they can now find some comfort in the fact justice has been served.’

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