Abdulmanon Aliev Jailed for Attempted Rape of Child on London Train

A 50-year-old man originally from Tajikistan has been sentenced to 12 years in prison with an additional two-year extended licence period after being convicted of a prolonged sexual assault and the attempted rape of a 13-year-old girl on a train.

Abdulmanon Aliev, of Rye Lane, Peckham, south-east London, was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court, following his conviction by a jury in April. In addition to his custodial term, Aliev has been placed on the sex offenders register for life.

The prosecution detailed how the incident occurred on the afternoon of June 16, 2025, while the victim was travelling on a service from Southend to London Fenchurch Street.

Aliev initially sat opposite the vulnerable child and attempted to initiate a conversation using a translator application on his mobile phone.

The victim sought to escape his attention by moving away to sit in a different part of the carriage, but Aliev pursued her, taking an aisle seat next to her and deliberately blocking her escape route against the window.

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The court heard that Aliev then forced himself onto the young girl, subjecting her to a continuous and severe sexual assault that lasted until the train arrived at its destination. Upon arrival at London Fenchurch Street station, the victim was finally able to break free,

immediately boarding a separate train heading back out of London to escape her attacker. In a visibly distressed state, she alerted members of the public, who assisted her in contacting the authorities.

Detectives from the British Transport Police’s Major, Serious, and Organised Crime team subsequently launched an urgent manhunt, reviewing hours of station and onboard CCTV footage to trace the suspect's movements.

Plain-clothes officers successfully located and arrested Aliev in Peckham on June 27, 2025, eleven days after the attack, later recovering the clothing he wore during the incident from his home address.

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Following a week-long trial at Inner London Crown Court, Aliev was found guilty of six distinct charges, including one count of attempted rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and three counts of sexual assault.

Speaking after the sentencing hearing, British Transport Police Detective Constable Elizabeth Cahill condemned the actions of the defendant, describing the incident as one of the most abhorrent sexual assaults she had ever investigated.

Detective Constable Cahill praised the immense bravery of the young victim, emphasizing that Aliev had deliberately singled out a vulnerable child and that his conviction would have been impossible without the victim's willingness to support the comprehensive police investigation.

She reaffirmed that the force takes all reports of sexual offences with the utmost seriousness and remains dedicated to removing dangerous predators from public transit networks.

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