NSW Police appeal for information amid train crackdown

Police have released the identity of more than a dozen people they believe may have information on a spate of alleged crimes on public transport across Sydney.

Dean Robert Taylor was charged with two offences for allegedly masturbating in front of a woman on a train on Australia Day. Picture: Jeremy Piper

From stealing to coward punch attacks, racial slurs to sexual assaults and even trying to burn a woman on a bus, police are cracking down on crime on public transport.

Dean Robert Taylor, who allegedly masturbated in front of a woman on a train on Australia Day, last week discovered what it was like to have officers from Operation Waratah – the Police Transport Command-led crackdown – arrive at his Croydon Park home to arrest him.

Taylor, 40, was charged with carrying out a sexual act without consent and stalking/intimidating, and is set to face Burwood Local Court on March 20.

Police are today releasing the identities of 14 more commuters they want to speak to over crimes on trains and buses.

Police Transport Command Superintendent Andrew Evans said it was important to “send a message” that incidents on the network are investigated very seriously.

Taylor, 40, was charged with carrying out a sexual act without consent and stalking/intimidating. Picture: Jeremy Piper

“We are releasing 14 images today of people we will allege have been involved in acts of violence, from kicking commuters, to sexually touching commuters while on trains, to bus drivers who have been assaulted,” Supt Evans said.

“And in one horrifying incident there is a male who we will allege burnt a female on a bus with a lighter at Randwick.

“Last week we arrested and charged a 40-year-old male who we will allege was masturbating on a train between Ashfield and Central on Australia Day this year.

Taylor is due to face Burwood Local Court on March 20. Picture: Jeremy Piper

“We want to send a message that people will be identified through police intelligence databases, or the willingness of the community to assist in providing their identity … so that we can arrest them.

“The success of Operation Waratah is down to the community’s preparedness to identify these people that are not currently known to police.”

The Daily Telegraph can reveal fresh statistics that show since last July, there have been more than 150 sexual offences on the transport network and close to 900 assaults over that same period.

Police want to speak to “Person C” over an alleged assault at Strathfield Train Station in December.

Police want to speak to “Person E” over an alleged assault at Merrylands Train Station in December.

Police say both those numbers are trending down on the same periods from recent years.

Supt Evans said assaults were still a major focus of the Operation Waratah crackdown, with a man arrested following an alleged “coward punch attack” earlier this year.

Police want to speak to “Person G” over an incident in which a woman was allegedly burnt with a lighter on a bus at Randwick in December.

Police want to speak to “Person H” over an alleged assault at Martin Place Metro Station in December.

Police want to speak to “Person I” over an alleged theft at Central Train Station in February.

Police want to speak to “Person K” over an alleged assault at Hurstville Train Station last May

“On Wednesday we arrested a 34-year-old male who we will allege at Rooty Hill Railway Station on February 19, coward punched a male, knocking him unconscious,” he said.

“I’ve watched that CCTV, it’s extraordinarily violent, the victim is unconscious on the railway platform for a significant amount of time until a Sydney Trains worker comes to his aid.”

Police want to speak to “Person L” over an alleged assault by a man on a girl at Fairfield Train Station last August.

Police want to speak to “Person M” over an alleged assault on a bus driver at Berkeley in December.

Police want to speak to “Person N” over an alleged assault on a boy at Engadine in January.

Police want to speak to “Person O” over an alleged assault at Macquarie Fields Train Station in December.

Supt Evans said a key aspect of tracking down transport offenders during Operation Waratah is police working closely with NSW Transport to review an abundance of vision from train stations and bus depots across Sydney.