A serial sex offender has been sent back to jail after touching his privates while staring at a girl on a train. Tajinder Sabherwal, 44, of High Street, Bedford, boarded a service from London St Pancras to Peterborough on March 22 last year.

He sat next to a woman travelling with her 11-year-old daughter, who was sat in a seat opposite him. When the youngster's mum turned towards him, she noticed he was touching himself over his shorts and staring at her child. She turned again, making eye contact with Sabherwal, who leapt up from his seat and strode off down the train on realising he had been caught.

The mum texted the British Transport Police (BTP) and officers boarded the train at Biggleswade, but the pervert had left the train at an earlier stop.

Detectives managed to identify Sabherwal, who handed himself in at a police station in Luton.

He replied "no comment" to all the questions police asked him during interviews, according to the BTP.

The force said he has a long history of committing sex offences on the railway.

Sabherwal was locked up for 18 months in 2021 after he exposed himself to women and touched himself inappropriately at stations and on trains across Surrey and London.

He appeared at St Albans Crown Court on April 7 where he was sentenced to two years and two months in prison after pleading guilty to Outraging Public Decency. He was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Det Cons Agata Barker said: "This was an extremely disturbing incident for the victim and her mother. Sabherwal stooped to a new low, committing this vile offence while staring at a young child.

"He is evidently a repeat offender and poses a serious danger to women and girls so I am pleased to see him return to jail where he can't target the public with his repulsive behaviour."

The officer urged anyone who witnesses or experiences sexual offending on the railway to report it by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40. In an emergency, always dial 999.