Daily Mail

No porn on this train!

Transport chiefs forced to issue warning to commuters who watch sex on phones

- By Katherine Rushton Media and Technology Editor

ANYONE found watching pornograph­y while travelling on trains or buses will be reported to the police, transport bosses have warned.

Perpetrato­rs could be jailed or fined for their behaviour, which counts as an ‘outrage to public decency,’ lawyers claim.

The threat follows a spate of reports of people watching sexual material on public transport.

In most cases, the perpetrato­rs appeared to be viewing it on their smartphone­s while wearing head- phones. Some of them turned their screens away from other passengers, but with little effect as the material was still visible in the window reflection. Others made no effort to conceal the explicit films.

now transport bosses have urged travellers who see people watching porn to raise the alarm with staff.

a Transport for london spokesman said: ‘you don’t have to prove that it was a criminal offence or intentiona­l to report it.’ Siwan Hayward, Tfl’s head of transport policing, added: ‘We do not tolerate any unwanted sexual behaviour.

‘We work closely with police taking all reports extremely seriously. If someone has made you feel uncomforta­ble, for example by viewing pornograph­ic material, please tell the police or a member of our staff.’ according to experts, people who view porn in public places could be prosecuted for ‘outraging public decency’, and face a fine or jail.

While it is legal to watch porn at home, it could be classed as an ‘indictable offence’ to watch it in full view of others.

Tfl bosses also urged passengers to report other unwanted sexual behaviour on its network, including ‘leering’ or taking photograph­s of passengers without permission.

radio 4’s Woman’s Hour flagged the issue yesterday after one of its reporters saw a man watching porn on her journey home.

bbC journalist Siobhan Tighe did not confront the man, who thanked her when she moved to let him off the bus at the end of his journey.

Improvemen­ts in 4G mobile internet access and wi-fi on the Undergroun­d are thought to be fuelling an increase in the problem.

One barrister, who asked not to be named, said: ‘The common law offence of outraging public decency could apply to watching porn in a public place, visible to others. It is an indictable offence.’

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