Nisan Fernando Kurukulasuriya, 39, and of Troutbeck Road, was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday 15 September. He pleaded guilty to Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency at a previous court hearing.
He was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which will bar him from sitting next to any woman he doesn't know on public transport, and will be on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
The court heard how, on Monday 20 April 2026, Kurukulasuriya was on a train from Stoke to Manchester when he sat next to a woman he didn't know who was on the phone.
He then sexually assaulted her repeatedly, doing so again even after being pushed away by the woman. The woman then noticed that he had exposed himself and was masturbating in front of her.
She shouted at Kurukulasuriya, who in response stood up and ran away to leave the train. The woman immediately got up to report the incident to staff.
When the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly, the woman went to speak to a member of railway staff. Kurukulasuriya meanwhile was stood only a few meters away, seemingly without a ticket that would let him through the gate line.
The woman told a member of staff at the gateline that Kurukulasuriya had exposed himself to her, and the member of staff immediately contacted BTP.
Officers quickly attended, speaking to the woman and arresting Kurukulasuriya before taking him to custody. When police interviewed him, Kurukulasuriya showed no remorse for his actions and refused to answer any questions put to him.
BTP Detective Sargeant Mark Haviland said: "Kurukulasuriya is a despicable man who targeted a woman travelling alone for his own sick sexual gratification. His brazen behaviour was terrifying, and I commend the victim for having the courage to report the incident so that we could take swift action.
"There is no place on the railway network for sexual offending of any kind, so I am pleased to see Kurukulasuriya rightfully jailed for his actions.
"We take every report seriously, and we will always believe you. No report is too small, and if you've been the victim of this offending, you can contact us discreetly by texting 61016 so we can secure justice for you.”
