Melbourne, June 24 – An Indian-origin man in Australia, who sexually assaulted women on trains, was on Monday sentenced to 21 months in jail, media reported. County Court judge Gerard Mullaly, while sentencing Ajay Chopra, said stern punishment awaited the men who put their own “perverse sexual pleasure” above the rights of women, The Age reported.
“The sexual assault of fellow female passengers on public transport is shameful and dishonourable. Decent men do not do this,” Mullaly said. Chopra, 41, separately assaulted the women, aged between 18 and 30, while travelling on the V/Line train between Melbourne and Bendigo between June and August 2011. He offered to read their palm.
Chopra, of Bendigo, either assaulted the women, or tried to, when he took their hands claiming to be a palm reader. Either he would put a woman’s hand on his crotch, or put his hand on or near their crotch, or both.
Prosecutor Neill Hutton said one of the victims felt Chopra’s erect penis under her hand. The offender also had put his hand up the woman’s dress, the report said. Mullaly said Chopra’s “shameful and concerning behaviour” had had a profound and lasting impact on his victims.
-INDIA TODAY
