Man jailed for sexually assaulting teenage girl in Staines
Police used bus CCTV and oyster card information to catch him
Last updated 18th Jan 2024
A man has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting a teenage girl, in Staines.
The victim who was 18 at the time, in April 2023, reported being followed by a man after stepping off a bus near Short Lane.
She told officers the man, whom she didn't know, then proceeded to grab her and sexually assaulted her. She managed to fight him off and shouted for help, before he fled the scene.
30-year-old Andrii Melnyk, of Harvard Road, Chiswick, was identified as the perpetrator after officers trawled through bus CCTV and matched him to the suspect description.
By cross-referencing the oyster card used on the bus, Melynk was successfully identified as the user.
He was subsequently picked out as the offender in an ID parade by the victim, before being charged and remanded in custody.
Melnyk initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea during the first day of his trial.
He was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday, for sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by touching. He will also be on the sexual offenders register for life.
Investigating Officer DC Katherine Peters, said:
“This was a complex investigation that involved many different lines of enquiries including forensics, intel, witness testimonies and CCTV.
“The survivor was extremely brave and displayed enormous resilience throughout the investigation and court proceedings. Thanks to her, a dangerous man is now off the streets and in prison where he belongs.
“If you have been the victim of sexual assault, we would urge you to report it to us; we will listen to you and will do everything we can to find and bring the perpetrator to justice.”