Upul Katulanda (pictured) was accused of sexually assaulting a woman on a train
A Buddhist accused of thrusting his penis into a trainee police officer’s back on a train was cleared after he said he was meditating at the time.
Sri Lankan Upul Katulanda, 33, was said to have sexually assaulted the woman as he stood behind her on the busy service between Enfield and Stratford in east London.
The court heard he touched the woman’s hand before running his hand along her thigh on the train.
But Katulanda denied the claims, telling the court: ‘I never get those types of thoughts I am always meditating on Buddhism. I did not get an erection.’
Katulanda was cleared by a jury of sexual assault after a three day trial at Blackfriars Crown Court.
Brian Reece, prosecuting, earlier told the court that the claimant said his ‘pulsating penis was pressed’ into her back.
He said: ‘There was a succession of touching. Originally, the complainant was willing to believe it was accidental but then she started to think it was sexual.
‘First a person stroked her right hand. She moved away from him, but then he tried to hold her hand. Next, she felt his hand on her thigh.
‘This was followed by his pulsating penis pressing into the small of her back.
‘This was deliberate contact. The train was very busy, and one man tried to help by putting his arm in the way after she had complained.’
But giving evidence Katulanda said: ‘Two weeks before I had lost my father and that was on my mind all of the time.
‘I was very sad and when I was in that state of mind, how could I have got an erection?’
He added: ‘It was a full train and there some people left on the platform unable to get on. There should have been eight carriages but there were only four.
‘When I got on the train there were people who were very close to me and it was very uncomfortable.
‘My back and shoulders were sore. In my right hand I had just a bag with me. The handle was wrapped around my wrist.
‘My right hand was by my leg. I was trying to stay balanced with my other hand. I did not stand behind her knowingly and I remember no such incident.’
Katulanda was said to have sexually assaulted the woman as he stood behind her on the busy service between Enfield and Stratford (pictured)
The 25-year-old complainant said she shouted at him: ‘Stop doing that you are making me very uncomfortable.’
She took the same train journey the next day and took pictures of Katulanda, which she sent to British Transport Police.
Katulanda came to the UK in 2007 and had worked at North Middlesex Hospital tending to patients and cleaning hospital wards.
He said: ‘After 2011 I worked in a cosmetic and health shop selling health and body creams, but I am not currently employed.’
Buddhist Monk Thabassee Panamare, who runs a temple in Enfield, told the court: I have known Upul for ten years. He comes to the temple regularly.
‘He comes to meditate. He is an individual who is very supportive and helpful, and he is devoted.
‘It is very hard to believe that an allegation like this has been made against him.’
Katulanda, of Enfield, was cleared of one count of sexual assault on a female.