A bus sex pest, who groped two females and was identified by his garish shorts caught on CCTV, was convicted today.
Algerian Abdi Wahab Ikken, 41, of Sycamore Road, Dartford, even used a stolen Oyster card to make the journeys in south-east London.
He was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 17 year-old on a number 96 bus in Woolwich on August 28, last year and a second young woman on number 53 on September 25.
He was also convicted at Croydon Magistrates Court of stealing an Oyster card with £55 credit between July 1 and July 31, last year.
When police from the Roads and Transport Policing Command raided his home they seized the distinctive shorts Ikken was wearing during the first assault and the Oyster card he used to tap-in both times.
He boarded the 96 bus outside Dartford Magistrates Court at 6.30pm and the teenager, who had been shopping in Bluewater, told the trial: “He was squished up against me and his leg was touching mine.
“I could feel the hairs of his leg on me. It just carried on until his leg stopped and he then used his hands,” added the teenager, who was wearing a summer dress.
“He put his elbow on my hip and pushed down really hard. It hurt, I felt he was trying to hurt me.”
The tearful teenager, who Ikea sat next to despite other seats being available added: “It then started with his fingers feeling my leg at the side of my thigh on my skin. I wasn’t wearing any tights.
“I was in disbelief at first. As I looked down he moved his hand around my thigh.
“I was scared. I was unaware of his intention and what he was going to do and if he was going to follow me.”
A second woman, in her twenties, was travelling towards Whitehall at 1.30pm when Ikken deliberately plonked himself next to her despite others seats being available.
“He immediately spread his legs so his right leg was touching my left leg. It felt uncomfortable.
“I felt it next to my thigh and the rest of my leg. He apologised, but then spread his legs again and I asked him to move.
“He spread his legs a third time and I felt his ankle move against mine very slowly and i felt it was deliberate rubbing against my skin.
“It went on for a while and I was feeling quite irate and said: ‘Can you keep your legs to yourself?’
“He said he did not want to because I was so beautiful and I told him: ’That’s really creepy, get away from me’
“He was grinning in what I’d say was a lecherous way.
“This was a person who knew how to sexually assault someone without it being shown on camera and it made me think he’d probably done it before.
“He spoke like he was very pleased with what he had done. I’ve been sexually assaulted before and this brought it back to me.”
When questioned by police Southwark Council cleaner Ikken, who needed an Arabic interpreter throughout the trial simply said: “It wasn’t me,” and refused to answer any questions.