A fireman who committed a sexual act next to a passenger on the London Underground was given a suspended sentence.

Luke Brown, 39, of The Ridgeway, St Albans, pleaded guilty to outraging public decency at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 17 following an incident earlier this year.

Brown was on the Piccadilly Line southbound from Kings Cross St Pancras on February 15 when he committed a sexual act next to a female passenger.

The court heard that the woman felt touching on the base of her back and she turned around to see a hot and sweaty Brown breathing heavily.

She left the train at Holborn when another passenger told her she had a substance on her coat but carried on with her journey and planned to check later.

The victim was then told by another person about the substance.

She went into the elevator and took off her coat and identified the substance before alerting the police.

They took a sample and matched the DNA to Brown, who had previously been cautioned in 2005 for public indecency.

Brown’s defence implied that the incident had been an accident after Brown attempted to make himself more comfortable on the train and said that it was not sexual. Brown also denied any physical contact.

District Judge Mike Snow did not accept the mitigation and gave Brown a 12 week prison sentence suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation, a victim surcharge of £60 and CPS costs of £85. He must also attend a Community Sex Offenders Group.