A MAN sexually assaulted three women, including a teenager and her mother, on a train between Caersws and Machynlleth, a court heard on Monday.

It was heard during a trial, which took place in his absence, that he petted the teenage girl like a cat and told her mother that he wanted to have sex with her.

Khalid Ahmed Al’Haidos, 51, of Clos Morgan, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth, faced three charges of sexually assaulting a female by touching on June 18, 2019. Welshpool magistrates found him guilty on all three counts after hearing evidence from the victims in the case; who are not identified for legal reasons.

Rhian Jones, prosecuting, told the court that all three of the women boarded the train to Aberystwyth from Birmingham International, but that the mother and daughter were travelling separately to the other complainant in the case.

The lone woman told magistrates that she was reading a book on her iPad when she felt something on her shoulder. “I expected someone to say sorry, but the man continued to press on my shoulder,” she said.

The woman said that Al’Haidos smelt of alcohol and that she suspected he was drunk.

“He was touching my shoulder, he kept sort of moving his hand around,” she said.

The mother and daughter on the train were on their way to Aberystwyth to go on holiday for a few days.

The court heard that Al’Haidos had first assaulted the daughter, who then woke up her mother, who was sat opposite her on a table seat.

“He actually stroked my face. That’s the first time I actually noticed him,” the woman told the court.

“He said I had a very pretty face, or a very pretty mouth.” At that point, Al’Haidos made a lewd comment about a sexual act, the court heard.

The woman said the incident only lasted about five minutes, but that it “felt like forever”.

Ms Jones said that the defendant was taken off the train at Machynlleth.

On June 26, 2019, he was interviewed by police.

Al’Haidos confirmed it was him on the train and on the CCTV, but said he could not remember what he did or didn’t do as he was drunk. However, he did say that there would not have been “any sexual intent”.

Magistrates found him guilty of three counts of sexual assault of a female.

Al’Haidos has been bailed for sentencing.