British Transport Police (BTP) officers are searching for a man they want to speak to after assault at Crystal Palace railway station.
On Sunday evening, November 2 a man assaulted a 33-year-old woman outside the station, grabbing her face and trying to drag her into an unlit area. He then caught the same bus as her and continued to intimidate her before getting off.
BTP said the incident happened at 8.25pm on the pathway outside the main entrance of the station.
The victim, from Ilford, was going through the main booking hall at Crystal Palace railway station.
A man accused her of knocking into a child he was travelling with as she passed through the gated ticket barrier to exit the station.
He became abusive towards her, shouting at and threatening her.
The woman asked the man to stop abusing her before she turned away and walked out of the station.
But he followed her as she walked towards Crystal Palace Station Road to catch a bus to West Croydon.
The man grabbed the woman from behind. He gripped her face and tried to drag her into a darkened area of the footpath
The woman called out to an unknown member of the public and asked her to call the police.
The young child, who was with the man and witnessed the assault, alerted the member of staff on duty inside the booking hall.
The man then let go of the woman and she ran towards the bus stop to get away. She got on the replacement bus service and was followed by the man and the young child, who also boarded the bus.
The man continued to intimidate the woman and finally left the bus about six stops from Crystal Palace.
Investigating officer PC Michael Smith said: "This incident has left the victim extremely shaken and scared. I urge anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident and who may have witnessed this assault to come forward with any information. We are very keen to speak to the man in the CCTV image as he may hold vital information to this incident."
Anyone with information should call British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, or text 61016, quoting reference BSUB/ B11 of 27/11/14 . Information can also be passed anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
