A remorseless sex offender assaulted a woman on a train, and claimed she had provoked it "because her legs were open".

Leon Pawlica, 59, carried out the attack on a train at Crystal Palace in May, after drinking half a litre of vodka.

He had boarded a morning rush hour train at London Victoria, bound for West Croydon.

Pawlica, who is homeless, tried to strike up a conversation with his victim, causing her to move away and him to start trying to talk to a different woman.

When the train arrived at Crystal Palace, the victim got up to leave and Pawlica lifted her skirt and attacked her.

She challenged him, but Pawlica followed her off the train and through the station.

The victim asked station staff for help, and they called the police - who arrested Pawlica after searching the nearby area.

In his police interview, Pawlica initially claimed he was too drunk to remember the incident - before accusing the woman of "sexually provoking it herself because her legs were open."

He was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison on 25 September, and to pay £775.

He was also handed a seven year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prevents him from carrying open alcohol and sitting next to or opposite a lone female on public transport.

Detective Sergeant Dan Holmes, of the British Transport Police's Sexual Offences Unit, said: "Thankfully we police a CCTV rich environment and this blatant sexual assault was captured entirely on camera.

"Pawlica knew he had no defence but his attempt to blame the completely innocent victim, who was left understandably distressed by the incident, is utterly reprehensible.

"It's no surprise the court saw straight through this and I am pleased to see Pawlica handed a custodial sentence.

"I hope it serves as a strong reminder that sexual offenders absolutely won't be tolerated on the railway."