SkyTrain sex assault suspect may have targeted ESL student

TransLink's Transit Police have released surveillance footage in the hopes of identifying a sexual assault suspect who may be targeting foreign exchange students.

Transit Police's Anne Drennansaidthe images from September show a man who allegedly forced himself on Japanese exchange student at the Gateway SkyTrainStation in Surrey, B.C.

"We're hoping that we canidentifythisolder man who sexuallyassaulted the ESL student, because it's quite likely he's done this before, and will continue doing this,"Drennansaid.

The victim, a 29-year-old woman, was too traumatized to report the sexual assault at the time a common theme, Drennan said.

"With ESL students, we find that, first of all, they are very often the targets of these predators,"she said. "They're vulnerablebecause English is not very familiar to them. They don't know how to report it, or who to report it to."

The 29-year-old womancame forward to police later,after describingrecurring nightmaresto herhomestayhost, who encouraged her to report the incident.

Drennan said the woman, who spoke very little English, was trying to buy a fare the morning of Sept. 6, when a man approached her and offered to help.

He then allegedlyforced himself on her, and repeatedly kissed and hugged her.

Drennan said the womanwas finally able to push him awayand headedto the trainplatform, where she boarded a train.

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The suspect, a balding white man in his late 50s, is approximately6 feet tall and weighs170 pounds.

He was clean-shaven and was wearing beige pants, a lightpossiblygreenshirt, abrown jacket andbrown shoes, andwas carrying a brief case the morning of the assault.

Transit Police is asking anyone with information to call the force at 604-515-8300or to callCrimeStoppers to submit an anonymous tip.