‘Disgusting’ Luton man jailed for performing a sex act on himself on train

A man from Luton has been jailed for performing a sex act on himself in front of two women on a train.

Dean Benjamin, 41, and of Stockingstone Road, Luton, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on March 16 where he pleaded guilty to outraging public decency. Last week, Benjamin was jailed for 26 months.

Just after 5pm on March 3, the victim was sat on a train from London to Nottingham. She noticed Benjamin was leaning on a luggage rack staring at her and looked back up to see that he had placed his hands down the front of his trousers and was clearly performing a sex act on himself.

The victim texted British Transport Police using its 61016 service and told a passing ticket inspector who moved her to the first-class carriage away from Benjamin. He then followed her into the first-class carriage and again began touching himself while staring at a second woman as she worked on her laptop.

After being notified by the ticket inspector, an off-duty police officer on the service apprehended Benjamin until the train arrived at Kettering station where he was removed and immediately taken to police custody.

DC Mohit Behl, investigating officer in the case, said: “Benjamin is quite simply a disgusting individual who targeted two lone women for his own sexual gratification.”

DC Behl added: “I hope his prison sentence serves as a stark warning to sexual offenders – we will do everything in our power to put your behind bars, without exception."

He received 20 months for outraging public decency and being in breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), and six months for a second exposure offence investigated by Bedfordshire Police.