A man who sexually assaulted a teenage girl at a Tube station has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Michael Leigh, 46, of Vineyard Avenue, Barnet, appeared at Blackfriars Crown Court on Friday, August 30 after being found guilty of inappropriately touching the 17-year-old at Bank London Underground station last October.

The court heard how the victim was walking towards the Central line platform when Leigh tapped her on the shoulder and started speaking to her at around 2.15pm.

She told him she was still at school but he continued saying he was attracted to her.

While sitting on the eastbound platform bench, Leigh inappropriately touched the teen and kissed her face before asking for her mobile number.

The girl gave him her mother’s mobile number and boarded a train.

On Monday, October 15 Leigh called the number the victim had given to him and asked her to meet him.

The number he called from was registered in Leigh’s name to an address in Haringey. Officers attended the address on Tuesday, December 11 last year but were told he did not live there.

Police officers spoke to Leigh on the phone and he agreed to attend a London police station the following day where he was arrested.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Claire Sheals said: “This was an extremely intimidating and upsetting experience for the victim and I’d like to commend her for assisting officers at every stage, which was vital to securing the conviction of Leigh.”

Leigh was sentenced to three months in prison suspended for nine months.

He was ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work and placed on the sex offenders register for five years.

Leigh was also handed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which prevents him from engaging with female members of the public unknown to him on the London Underground network.