15.02.2026 14:20
40-year-old James Gathercole, who was imprisoned for satisfying himself on trains in England, was arrested again just 12 days after his release for allegedly satisfying himself in front of a lone woman.
A 40-year-old repeat offender named James Gathercole, who was found to have behaved inappropriately towards women on trains in South London, was recently sent back to prison.
In an investigation conducted by the British Transport Police (BTP), Gathercole's latest offense was recorded as him satisfying himself and continuing to follow a woman traveling alone on a train from London to East Grinstead just 12 days after being released.
THEY IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE POLICE
The woman reported the situation to railway staff after getting off the train at East Croydon station, and the police were called. BTP officers found Gathercole sleeping when he boarded the train at East Grinstead station and arrested him.
2 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS IN PRISON
During the court proceedings, Gathercole accepted two charges of inappropriate behavior for failing to comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and the conditions of his release from prison. Lewes Court sentenced the defendant to 2 years and 4 months in prison in light of this recent incident and previous similar offenses.
This situation shows that Gathercole is known to have exhibited inappropriate behavior towards women on trains again in May and June 2024, for which he was previously arrested and sent to prison. At that time, he had also been given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prohibited him from approaching, contacting, or traveling without permission to lone women on trains.
THEY CALLED ON THE PUBLIC
BTP detective Jean-Pierre Choolhun stated, "There is no place for such behavior in society. After the incident was reported, our teams quickly intervened, and Gathercole was arrested again." Authorities urged anyone witnessing such a crime on trains or the railway network to report it immediately.