British Transport Police (BTP) have launched a manhunt for a man suspected of sexually assaulting a woman on a Jubilee line train in East London.
The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 22. The suspect reportedly left Stratford station following the assault and has not yet been apprehended.
Detectives have released an image of a man they believe may have information pertinent to their investigation. The individual is described as wearing a black t-shirt, camouflage trousers, sunglasses, and a red baseball cap with "Super Bowl" emblazoned on the front. He was also seen carrying a backpack with black straps and wearing white earphones.
The investigation into the assault occurs against a backdrop of rising crime on London's public transport network. A new report from the London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee indicates that crime on TfL services has increased by nearly 50% since the pandemic. The report highlights "unacceptable" levels of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and hate crime on buses, Tubes, and trains.
Approximately 48,000 crimes were reported across Transport for London (TfL) services in 2025, a 46% increase compared to the pre-pandemic average of 16,544. The committee described the situation as a "crisis," with seven in ten Londoners expressing anxiety about using public transport due to safety concerns.
Passenger journeys on TfL services have seen a slight decrease, falling by 2.4% in the latter half of 2025. Crime reports on the Underground rose by 12.5% between 2023 and 2025, with the Elizabeth Line experiencing a 60.4% increase and the Overground seeing a 15% rise. Offences on buses and the Docklands Light Railway saw slight decreases, while Trams experienced a 40% drop.
Violence, public disorder, and criminal damage are noted as rising crime categories, while thefts have decreased. Overall, crime on the network has increased by nearly 8% in the past three years.
Of the public transport crime reports in 2025, nearly a fifth (4,593) related to VAWG, and another 1,724 were classified as hate crimes. The report indicates that a significant percentage of these incidents, 58% for VAWG and 66% for hate crime, did not result in a suspect being identified. London TravelWatch estimates that up to 80% of incidents go unreported, with many individuals lacking confidence in authorities to act.
In response to these concerns, the Assembly committee has recommended the establishment of a joint rapid response task force by TfL, BTP, and the Metropolitan Police specifically for hate crime and VAWG incidents. They also called for the annual publication of data on the response to these crimes.
The Met Police stated they are training officers to improve their response to VAWG incidents and are working with TfL and BTP to enhance safety. BTP reiterated that tackling hate crime and VAWG is a top priority, highlighting their text reporting service (61016) which has seen a 20% increase in reports, suggesting greater passenger confidence. TfL launched a campaign encouraging bystanders to intervene safely and established a dedicated taskforce last year to address hate crime and VAWG.