A man has been jailed just two days after he made extreme sexualised comments towards a teenage girl at a train station, following a joint investigation between British Transport Police and North Wales Police.
Nicholas Evans, 36, of Maenan Terrace, Penmaenmawr, was sentenced at Mold Magistrates’ Court on 30 December 2023 to six weeks in prison after pleading guilty to a serious public order offence and theft from a neighbouring supermarket. He was also ordered to pay £222 in compensation and victim surcharge.
The court heard how two days earlier, on Thursday 28 December, at around 11am, Evans entered Asda at Llandudno Junction where he first came into initial contact with the 16-year-old victim and made an inappropriate comment to her. He also stole a bottle of vodka.
A short while later, at about 11.20am, while waiting for a train at Llandudno Junction railway station, the victim noticed Evans walking towards her. Overheard by several witnesses, he made extreme sexualised comments to her, including “I would shag her” and another highlighting the fact he knew the victim was a teenager.
When the train arrived, the victim saw that Evans was getting on the same service, so she approached a member of rail staff and explained the situation. Evans was refused travel on the train and the girl was advised to report the incident by texting British Transport Police on 61016.
The very next day, Evans was arrested and charged. He appeared in court the following day.
Investigating officer Police Constable Robin Lloyd-Williams said:
“This was a very upsetting and frightening experience for the teenage girl involved and I would like to thank her for her bravery in coming forward and working with us to get this conviction in such a short space of time.
“Although Evans pleaded guilty in court, during interview he stated that while he remembered stealing from Asda, he had no recollection of the serious incident at the station. Being drunk is absolutely no excuse whatsoever to act in the vile way he did, and we always take a zero-tolerance approach to this kind of behaviour.
“This swift justice for the victim took us from crime to court within two days and is an excellent example of how our 61016 text number can be a timely and effective tool to help tackle crime on the railway network and at stations.
“We will always take reports of a sexual nature seriously and will do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice. In addition to our text number, members of the public can also download the free Railway Guardian app. The app allows you to report crimes or concerns on the rail network, share your journeys with trusted contacts, and get access to news, guides, or support.”
