A “SERIAL sex offender” from Bexleyheath who inappropriately touched three women on the Underground has narrowly avoided being sent to prison.

Pervert Cahal McDonnell’s offending spanned a period of more than a year before British Transport Police (BTP) officers recognised him as the man wanted in connection with four assaults and arrested him last September.

The 45-year-old, of Bostall Park Avenue, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault and was sentenced on Friday (JULY 5) at Blackfriars Crown Court.

He was placed on the sex offenders register for a decade and handed a 15 month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

The judge also ordered McDonnell to carry out 200 hours unpaid work and handed him a one-year supervision order.

McDonnell’s first offence was committed in July 2011, on a Central Line Tube train travelling between Marble Arch and Holborn, when he inappropriately touched a 33-year-old woman before running off.

More than a year later in August last year, he inappropriately touched a 30-year-old woman on a Jubilee Line train that had left London Bridge station.

The victim, who initially thought she had been touched by a bag, took a photograph of McDonnell on her phone before confronting him at Canary Wharf station.

McDonnell then inappropriately touched an 18-year-old girl twice in three days in September last year, on board two Central Line trains.

He was arrested on September 21 last year when plain-clothed BTP officers spotted him at Mile End station.

Speaking after the sentencing, investigating officer Detective Constable Anna Fisk said: “This was a frightening experience for all three victims and I would like to commend each of them for assisting the police at every stage, which was vital to securing the prosecution of McDonnell.

“The women initially believed McDonnell’s actions were accidental but it soon became clear that he was deliberately touching them. McDonnell will now spend the next 10 years on the sex offenders register for his awful behaviour.”

Acting director of community, safety, enforcement and policing at Transport for London Siwan Hayward added: “We are pleased that this serial sex offender has been caught and brought to justice.

“It shows how seriously we and the police take this issue.

“We care about all our passengers and every journey they make, and we will not tolerate unwanted sexual behaviour of any kind on our transport network.”