Prolific Train Sex Offender Comes Off Rails

A repeat train sex offender is back behind bars after exposing himself to a lone woman on a carriage, just twelve days after his release from prison.

James Gathercole, 40, of Leigham Court Road, Streatham received two years and four months imprisonment.

At Lewes Crown Court he pleaded guilty to two counts of exposure, as well as being in breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and the conditions of his prison release licence.

On the morning of July 15, last year, a woman on-board a London to East Grinstead train noticed Gathercole staring at her from a nearby seat.

After passengers in the same carriage departed at East Croydon, he then fully exposed himself and began masturbating, still staring at the woman.

She left the service at Upper Warlingham station and reported Gathercole’s actions to a member of rail staff who contacted British Transport Police.

Officers responded by meeting the train at East Grinstead station, where they boarded it and discovered him asleep on board.

He was promptly arrested and checks on the Police National Database uncovered he was in breach of an existing SHPO and his licence conditions having been released from prison just twelve days earlier.

In July, 2024 he was jailed for two separate instances on the same day during which he exposed himself to women and masturbated on trains in London on May 26, that year.

The ten-year SHPO he was issued with prohibited him from travelling on public transport, without a valid method of payment or making any form of contact with a lone woman. 

He breached both on the morning of July 15.

Gathercole had also breached the conditions of his prison release licence on July 9, last year by not being in his property after 7.00pm, and was further arrested for that offence at East Grinstead station.

The second count of exposure he was sentenced for relates to a further incident, whereby Gathercole exposed himself and masturbated on-board a train in South London on June 4, 2024.

BTP Detective Constable Jean-Pierre Choolhun said: “It is entirely right that, following our investigation, James Gathercole is now back in custody. 

“There is absolutely no place for this sickening behaviour in our society.

“We take all reports of sexual offending extremely seriously, and this case demonstrates that commitment.

“Our officers acted immediately, intercepting the train and arresting Gathercole shortly after the report was made."