text: Muhammed Tahir at the Old Bailey. He was banned from using London Underground during rush hours after rubbing himself up against a woman in a busy carriage . A dry cleaner in his fifties has been banned from using the Tube during rush hours after targeting a young woman and rubbing his crotch and pot belly on her bottom. Mohammed Tahir, 53, of Leytonstone, east London, got off his train at Mile End and picked a target on the platform - a 'confident and articulate' professional in her 20s, a court heard. He then followed her onto a Central line service and stood as close to her as he could. Tahir sidled up to the victim and pretended to accidentally slide his hand across her thigh as she stood with other passengers in the busy carriage on a hot summer’s day. Unable to leave the packed train, she tried to change position and lean as far away as possible to escape his advances. But Tahir moved even closer and began rubbing his crotch and pot belly against her thigh and bottom. His behaviour was so obvious that it had attracted the attention of undercover police officers who were watching his every move. Eventually, the horrified young woman managed to attract the attention of one of them and Tahir was arrested, finally putting an end to the nightmare ordeal. Detectives later discovered that Tahir was charged with two similar offences in 2003 only to be cleared after the prosecution file failed to arrive in court in time. At the Old Bailey, Judge Rebecca Poulet QC said that the experience was clearly very 'frightening and shocking' for the victim, who cried while giving evidence, despite seeming very confident and self-assured. He was convicted of sexual assault after a two-day trial at the Old Bailey, but the judge decided not to jail Tahir in the hope that he can tackle his problems under the supervision of Probation officers - despite saying 'there must be a custodial sentence'. Tahir was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years, a 12-month supervision order, told to complete to do 150 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge. The judge also prohibited him from travelling on the Tube or entering any London Underground station between 7am and 10am and 4pm and 8pm for five years. Undercover police officers first spotted Tahir when he got off his train at Mile End at around 8am on 24 July last year. He followed a young woman onto a train, unaware that officer were watching his every move . The judge told Tahir: ‘Your purpose in getting off was not because you were hot as you claimed but in order to look for a suitable young woman and to follow her on to the train for your activities. ‘That is exactly what you did. So blatant was your conduct that no less than three undercover police officers saw you doing it and saw you looking at young women. ‘You spotted [the victim] and followed her on to the Central Line train. It was fairly crowded and she stood centrally in the area near the double doors holding the rail with her right hand. ‘When the train moved off she felt something brush her left side. She looked down and saw your hand by her side in a somewhat unnatural position and it made her uncomfortable. ‘She moved to get away from you, still thinking the touching might be accidental. When the train moved again you came closer, pushing your stomach up against her and then your crotch. ‘She leaned as far as she could in order to move herself away from you but you moved with her, pressing up against her. You pressed your crotch on her thigh and buttock. She could feel you pressed firmly against her buttock. ‘Despite being a confident and articulate and fair witness she cried giving evidence and the experience was clearly frightening and shocking for her. ‘In my view there must be a custodial sentence. You were in grave peril of going immediately to prison. I want to impose a sentence that will prevent you from behaving like this ever again and the public is best served by suspending this sentence.’
target: Muhammed Tahir, 53, followed woman in her 20s onto Central Line train .
  He got close and pretended to accidentally rub his hand across her thigh .
  He kept moving closer and rubbed his crotch and pot belly on her bottom .
  Act was 'so blatant' it caught the attention of undercover police officers .