Predator, 20, sexually assaulted mourner in queue for Queen’s coffin before jumping into River Thames to escape cops
A 20-year-old predator has admitted to sexually assaulting a mourner in the queue to see the Queen lying in state.
Adeshina Adio, 20, exposed himself and pushed into the woman from behind, before leaping into the River Thames to try to escape police.
The horror unfolded at London‘s Victoria Tower Gardens after the woman had been waiting in line for hours.
Adio is also alleged to have exposed himself to another woman in the queue, too, but he denies that charge.
But he did also admit to breaching the sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), which prohibits him from touching or exposing himself in a public place, which he had been handed just a month prior.
The “hugely distressing” situation unfolded around 7.30pm on September 14 – just hours after the Westminister Hall opened its doors for members of the public to pay their respects to Her Majesty.
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Adio, who is from South-East London, today appeared at Southwark Crown Court wearing a grey prison-issue tracksuit.
He spoke to confirm his name and date of birth before pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, and breaching the SHPO.
Judge Jeffrey Pegden KC remanded Adio, who was in breach of a suspended sentence, in custody ahead of a sentencing hearing next month.
The 20-year-old has eight previous convictions for 29 offences, including sexual offences between 2020 and this year.
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He had been handed the SHPO at Inner London Crown Court on August 3.
At an earlier hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, prosecutor Alex Adowale described Adio’s behaviour as “very concerning”.
He told the court: “The defendant poses a real threat to members of the public, namely women.”
Mr Adowale said Adio allegedly targeted two women who were among around 250,000 people who waited in line along the banks of the River Thames.
He said the first complainant noticed Adio because she had not previously seen him while waiting in the queue – where she had been surrounded by the same people for hours.
Mr Adowale said: “She noticed the defendant was getting closer to her, he was touching her back.
“She describes the defendant pushing into her, she could feel something touching her back.”
The woman turned around to see Adio had exposed himself, the prosecutor said, adding: “At the time she was very concerned but did not want to alert the defendant to the fact she realised what he was doing.”
Mr Adowale said she then noticed him approaching another woman in the queue before exposing himself and pushing into her.
What Adio did was disgusting, especially given the sombre nature of the event.
Anita Arora
He said: “The complainant was not sure if the person had realised.
“The defendant is described as trying to make off. He threw his mobile phone into the River Thames.
“The defendant is said to have gone into the River Thames in an attempt to evade officers before coming out a short while later.”
The court heard Adio has “complex mental health issues“, having been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder.
District Crown prosecutor Anita Arora said Adio targeted the young woman, who was with her family at the time.
Ms Arora said: “He subjected the victim to a very public sexual assault and exposed himself to her.
“The victim was so concerned about his behaviour that she and her sister tried to form a barrier to prevent him reaching others in the queue.
“They alerted the security staff who called the police.
“This incident was hugely distressing for the victim and her family who were with her at the time, and she behaved with composure and courage.
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“What Adio did was disgusting, especially given the sombre nature of the event and the dignity of the vast majority of people attending the lying-in-state during the period of national mourning.
“I hope that this prosecution encourages others who have been affected by this type of assault to come forward.”