A man has been banned from sitting near women on public transport after he was caught masturbating on a Tube train.

Marius Nastase was finally tracked down by police after one of his victims took a picture of him when he disembarked at Moorgate Station.

She showed the image to officers and the 31-year-old was arrested soon after.

The 31-year-old has been banned from sitting near women on public transport for five years (Picture: Central News)

He was found guilty of one count of public indecency and was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.


Judge Philip Bartle QC told him: ‘You must have gone into that carriage either with an erect penis or you got your penis erect.

Students may have to stay on campus for Christmas to stop coronavirus spreading

‘You were seen masturbating in the presence of this lady for what she says was about 10 minutes to her obvious distress and shock.



‘It is a disgraceful piece of behaviour. You were a person of good character, you no longer are because you have this conviction.’

Prosecutor Gregor McKinley said that there were other people nearby, including children.

The woman managed to snap a picture of Nastase before he left the tube at Moorgate station (Picture: Rex Features)

He said that Nastase, who moved to the UK from Romania four years ago, got onto the Metropolitan Line in the morning of Monday October 17, 2016.

Mr McKinley said ‘He took the seat opposite [the woman] and she noticed that he appeared to be manipulating and squeezing his penis inside the jogging bottoms.

Friends died falling 30ft from sea wall while 'larking about' for photos

‘Other people boarded, some people with children, and he continued.’

Nastase, from Northwood, near Watford, was told to carry out 100 days on a course for sexual offenders.

He has also been told that he must register his Oyster card so that his movements can be tracked and he was ordered to pay £1,050 in compensation and costs.

Got a story for Metro.co.uk? If you have a story for our news team, email us at webnews@metro.co.uk. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.