A Sri Lankan man has been sentenced to eight months in prison in the United Kingdom after sexually assaulting a woman on a train and exposing himself to her, following an investigation by British Transport Police.
Nisan Fernando Kurukulasuriya, 39, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on September 15 after pleading guilty to sexual assault and outraging public decency.
The court also imposed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, restricting him from sitting next to women he does not know on public transport. He will also be placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
The incident occurred on April 20, 2026, while Kurukulasuriya was travelling on a train from Stoke to Manchester.
He reportedly sat beside a woman who was using her phone and repeatedly sexually assaulted her, continuing even after she pushed him away. The woman subsequently noticed that he had exposed himself and was engaging in indecent behaviour in front of her.
When confronted, Kurukulasuriya fled the train, while the woman immediately reported the incident to railway staff.
Upon arriving at Manchester Piccadilly station, the woman informed a staff member about the incident. Kurukulasuriya was also spotted nearby and was subsequently arrested by British Transport Police officers.
During police questioning, he reportedly showed no remorse and refused to answer questions.
British Transport Police Detective Sergeant Mark Haviland said the offender had targeted a woman travelling alone and commended the victim for reporting the incident.
He further stressed that sexual offences would not be tolerated on the railway network.
