Manhunt launched after woman ‘sexually assaulted in a lift at a Tube station’

Detectives are investigating a sexual assault inside a London Tube station after a woman was targeted by a stranger inside a lift and later attacked on a rush hour train.

British Transport Police said a woman was taking the lift at Elephant and Castle in south London on Friday, March 6, at around 5.20pm when she was first attacked by a stranger.

The predator then followed her onto a Northern line Tube carriage travelling in the direction of Stockwell station.

The man then sexually assaulted her again on board the train.

Now the British Transport Police have released CCTV images of a man they would like to speak to.

Officers believe he may have information that could help the investigation.

How safe is travelling in London?

While sexual crimes on London public transport have gone down, the number remains concerning.

A total of 919 sexual offences were recorded between July and December last year, compared with 1,020 in the same period in 2024, the latest TfL figures show.

Westminster station saw the largest share of sexual offences last year, with 111 reports (12.1% of the total).

It also saw the highest volume of violent incidents (589), robberies (107) and hate crimes (222).

The second-most were committed at Newham, east London, with 69 incidents (7.5%), followed by Camden with 60 cases.

The peak time for sexual crime was found to be during peak commuter travel times between 4pm and 8pm, with over 30% of all offences committed during rush hour.

The most reported crime was theft from passengers, with 9,759 incidents recorded in the six months to the end of 2025, followed by violence and public order crimes.

Anyone who recognises the man in the images should contact the force and quote the reference 568 of 6 March, or reach out to Crimestoppers anonymously.

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