SA Police hit alleged Gawler line attacker with transport bans

The 47-year-old from Salisbury’s alleged attacks on four women on Sunday have sparked a stern reaction from police and the government.

A Salisbury man who allegedly assaulted four women on a train in the northern suburbs on Sunday has been banned from all public transport across the state and connecting premises for three months after a police review.

The ban was initially limited to train use but on Tuesday police said they reviewed and reissued the order for all public transport and “prescribed premises” for three months.

It includes trains, buses, trams and taxis as well as the railway station, bus interchange, tram stops, taxi ranks and the rail corridor in South Australia.

The 47-year-old was arrested and charged after allegedly assaulting four women travelling separately on the Gawler line bound for the city just before 9am on Sunday.

Police said the women were “randomly assaulted by being punched, slapped, pushed, spat at and verbally abused” but luckily did not need medical treatment.

A 47-year-old man has been charged with four counts of assault after he allegedly attacked four women on a train. Picture: 9NEWS

The man allegedly punched, slapped, pushed, spat on the women, and verbally abused them, police said. Picture: 9NEWS

The alleged offender jumped the exit barrier when the train arrived in the city before he was apprehended by police at Adelaide Oval.

He has been charged with four counts of assault.

Following the incident, Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said he wanted the to expand transport department powers to allow them to ban people from all modes of public transport.

On Tuesday, he welcomed the extended ban across the transport network.

“It highlights again that we need the capacity for Adelaide Metro to be able to impose its own bans for disorderly behaviour on the transport network,” he said.

“We are in the process of changing regulations to do just that - because behaviour of this type will not be tolerated.”

Meanwhile, eight people were arrested, five reported and 37 fined for various offences following a week of activity in May where visible police patrolled public transport and interchanges to boost safety and deter people from anti-social behaviour.

Police urge anyone who witnessed the alleged attack on the four women, or have footage of it, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.