A brave councillor has shared her harrowing experience of being sexually assaulted by a stranger on a train as new figures reveal the scale of similar unsolved attacks.
Cllr Sarah Murray, who has waived her right to anonymity, was around 22 years old and travelling alone when she was sexually assaulted on a train, as new figures show many sexual crimes on Worcestershire’s trains and stations go unsolved.
The figures, published by the British Transport Police following a freedom of information request by the Worcester News, show that, in more than half of all reported sexual offences in Worcestershire over the last five years, no suspect was identified or evidential challenges prevented further action.
The reports include sexual assaults, rapes, exposure and instances of voyeurism or so-called ‘upskirting’ and crimes which relate to offences against adults and children.
ATTACKS: Sexual assaults have been reported at both Worcester Foregate Street Station and Worcester Shrub Hill (pictured| (Image: Supplied)
Cllr Murray, now the Member Champion for Personal Safety and Civility in Public Office on Worcester City Council, a White Ribbon campaigner, and a Domestic Abuse Champion with the DAWN project, said she did not want her own experience on the London Underground in the mid 1980s to overshadow that of more recent victims.
Nevertheless, the Liberal Democrat councillor said the experience had contributed to her understanding of how these incidents affect victims.
Her commitment to protecting women and girls ‘comes from a broader understanding of the challenges many women face and a desire to ensure they can live, work and travel safely’.
She said: “He was a complete stranger. I was travelling home from work. He started following me on the platform and repeatedly stood far too close to me. I kept moving away and he would follow.
PROSECUTIONS: Some sex attacks have led to charges but in many instances no suspect is successfully identified (Image: Getty Images)
“I thought I had managed to lose him, but when I boarded the crowded train he got on as well and stood up close and facing me.
“I turned away from him and, as I did, he held my coat open and began touching me. It was just one stop, but I was a young woman travelling alone and I was too embarrassed and intimidated to draw attention to what was happening in a packed carriage.
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“I remember trying to stamp on his foot, but there were so many people around that I had no idea whether I was even stamping on the right person.”
Cllr Murray said she followed him off the train intending to confront him or find help, but lost him in the crowd at Victoria.
She reported the incident to British Transport Police at the time and recalls being put in a cell as the desk area was so busy and despite her being in tears at the time.
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“It happened a long time ago, but I can still remember exactly how vulnerable, angry and powerless I felt,” she said.
“That’s why these figures matter. Behind every statistic is a real person carrying the memory of what happened to them.”
Her comments follow the release of data from British Transport Police showing that 47 sexual offences were recorded in the county between 2021/22 and 2025/26.
Of these, 22 cases ended with no suspect identified, and six others stalled due to evidential difficulties despite victims supporting a prosecution.
READ MORE: Worcester Shrub Hill sex attacker jailed after teen assault
The figures show that 28 of the 47 offences ended with the police either unable to identify a suspect or evidential difficulties preventing further action against a suspect.
She welcomed the fact that some offenders were brought to justice but raised concerns about the high number of unsolved cases.
She said: “While I welcome the fact that some offenders have been brought to justice, it is concerning that many investigations ended without a suspect being identified or due to evidential difficulties.
“Victims need to know that if they come forward, they will be listened to, supported and treated with dignity throughout the process.”
Cllr Murray called for a cultural shift in how society approaches violence against women and girls.
She said: “Preventing violence against women and girls requires more than simply reacting after offences have occurred.
“It means creating a culture where inappropriate behaviour is challenged, where victims have confidence to report incidents, where evidence is gathered effectively and where perpetrators know they will be held accountable for their actions.”
She urged continued focus on improving safety for all.
She said: “We must continue working towards a transport network and wider society where everyone can travel safely, confidently and free from fear.”
Details of Cllr Murray’s account and the figures obtained under the Freedom of Information request were put to British Transport Police.
A BTP spokesperson: “As a force our solved rate for sexual offences is five times higher than the national average. But we want this higher still, and we’re committed to doing everything in our power to track down sexual predators, put them before the courts, and secure justice for victims.
“The figures released show that sexual offences on the Worcestershire rail network remain relatively rare, but just one victim is one too many.
“Rail passengers can be confident that every report of sexual offending on the railway will be taken seriously and investigated robustly. No report is too small or too trivial, so if you experience or witness these crimes on a train or at a station, text us on 61016.”
The British Transport Police say it is important to note that they police a transient environment and in most cases a suspect is not known to the victim, so officers must deploy a range of capabilities to positively identify sexual predators.
They have access to over 150,000 CCTV cameras across the network to obtain images or footage of offenders which can then be circulated internally, to other forces, and directly to the public.