crime

Accused groper hit by train after jumping off platform onto tracks

28 Comments

A man in his 30s, accused of groping a woman on a train, was seriously injured on Wednesday after he tried to escape from station staff by jumping off the platform onto the tracks where he was hit by a train at Shimbashi Station in Tokyo.

According to police and JR staff, the man allegedly groped a woman in her 20s inside a train on the JR Tokaido line just before 9 a.m. Fuji TV reported that when the train arrived at Shimbashi, the woman called out to station staff who detained the man on the platform. While they were waiting for police to arrive, the man broke free and jumped onto the tracks but was hit by another train on the Tokaido line.

Train services were suspended for about 30 minutes, affecting around 23,000 commuters, JR said.

The man was taken to hospital with severe injuries but his condition is not life-threatening and he is conscious, police said, adding they will wait until he recovers before questioning him.

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28 Comments
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To anyone who thinks it is better to run, don't. First, it is dangerous to jump onto railway tracks. And even if you did get away, just what are you going to do? Go to work as normal and pretend nothing happened? You'd be looking over your shoulder all day every day in the office, on your way home, wondering if the police were going to find you. You'd end up staying at home all day. You could not possibly function in your job under that kind of stress.

If you are innocent, insist on it, even if they take you to the station. Ask to call a lawyer or your embassy. Groping cases rarely end up in court or with the offender spending much time in a cell at the police station, so try and keep your cool and let your lawyer or embassy rep help you.

And yes, I know all about how police treat suspects in Japan, so I don't need to be lectured. But running is stupid.

7 ( +7 / -1 )

"services were suspended for about 30 minutes, affecting around 23,000 commuters"

But well done to the woman for reporting it!!

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Idiot deserved what he got.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

No one deserves to get hit by a train, but then again, no women deserves to get groped by a greasy headed sleeze ball.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

But if he were so innocent, he wouldn't run. If it was going to be a wrongful charge, have your day in court, prove it, and then sue them for deformation if he were worried about his reputation.

You realize we are talking about Japan, right?

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Stewart Gale: It's disgraceful and embarassing that a civilised society needs women only carriages in the first place.

Is there a civilised society on this planet?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Modern mass media doesn't help, but he was alleged. Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, not guilty until proven innocent in a court of public opinion.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Unfortunately, as they say in Japan, whether your innocent or guilty, run if your being charged rather than go through a long and arduous archaeic legal process that they have in Japan...

2 ( +4 / -2 )

In addition to reporting it the train staff, she should've caused a scene in the train while he was actively groping her. Maybe even throwing a punch. This action would probably discourage more groping. Why do the women just stand there and "take it" most of the time?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

We don't know if he actually did it. Wasn't there some article published saying you're better off running if someone accuses you of groping, even if you're innocent?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Whenever I read articles about alleged gropers, I no longer assume they're guilty. I also don't fault him for running regardless of innocence especially since the article below on this very site recommends that course of action.

http://www.japantoday.com/smartphone/view/crime/guilty-and-never-proven-innocent-every-male-train-riders-nightmare-in-japan

2 ( +3 / -1 )

No great loss to society.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The question is why she wasnt able to get herself onto a ladies-only carriage.

Yes sir, she should indeed share the blame for not riding in the ladies-only carriage. Riding in a mixed-carriage is like saying you don't mind being groped.

/sarcasm

1 ( +3 / -2 )

It's disgraceful and embarassing that a civilised society needs women only carriages in the first place.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Unfortunately, as they say in Japan, whether your innocent or guilty, run if your being charged rather than go through a long and arduous archaeic legal process that they have in Japan...

So he ran, and now faces the long and arduous recovery process after colliding with a moving train THEN facing a long and arduous archaic legal process that they have in Japan. Yeah, I can see how that was the better option.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

And to add insult to injury he'll most probably get a big bill from JR for the disruption to their services.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

In addition to reporting it the train staff, she should've caused a scene in the train while he was actively groping her. Maybe even throwing a punch. This action would probably discourage more groping. Why do the women just stand there and "take it" most of the time?

She did the right thing. In Japan there is no defence for self-defence. If a woman throws a punch they also get pulled in. It must be very intimidating for a woman on her own to fight back against a man on a train. She did the right thing by waiting until she knew station staff would defend her. The question is why she wasnt able to get herself onto a ladies-only carriage.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I would run. I wouldn't grope but I sure as hell would run if I was accused.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Yes sir, she should indeed share the blame for not riding in the ladies-only carriage. Riding in a mixed-carriage is like saying you don't mind being groped.

You completely misunderstood my meaning. I was pointing the finger at the train company for either not having a ladies-only carriage, or for not having enough ladies-only carriages. And not directed at the victim.

These gropings will never cease because many of the gropers are J-cops.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

It's disgraceful and embarassing that a civilised society needs women only carriages in the first place.

Indeed it is. But when the cops themselves have a problem with gropers within their own ranks then there aren't many other options. I think most British women commuters would prefer their own carriages at rush hour and definitely late at night.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Sorry, guys, but as tempting as it is to say he deserves what he got, no one deserves what he got for groping. It's entirely his fault (assuming he did it; and those who claim he might not have have valid points), but that does not mean he deserves to be maimed for life and possibly crippled (and will need constant care, I might add, which we in part will pay for).

So, yes, if guilty, the man is now not only probably physically disabled for the rest of his life, but he still deserves to be charged for what he did (or at least get a trial if he wishes), will no doubt lose his job and family, won't be covered under any third-party insurance since he jumped, and will no doubt have to pay for the delays, clean up, and medical services related to the accident.

Again, pretty harsh punishment, all told. I am glad the woman had the courage to speak out, though.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

smithinjapan: Sorry, guys, but as tempting as it is to say he deserves what he got, no one deserves what he got for groping.

See, we can disagree on that. Since justice as currently applied is somewhat random everywhere, I see no problem with applying decimation to gropers where there's a high degree of confidence in the evidence. Put 9 white stones and one black stone in a box, the groper drawing the black stone is summarily executed. Wouldn't need ladies-only cars if you did that.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

And the Darwin Award goes too....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Mens-only carriage for protection from gropees ????

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Wouldn't it be tragic if it was the wrong guy and this guy was innocent and he just freaked out thinking about the possible repurcussions?

Japanese ladies I know who have been groped on crowded trains told me that they couldn't be 100% sure of who the culprit was because of how packed the train was at the time. I'm sure that that's not always the case, just sayin'.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Why do the women just stand there and "take it" most of the time?

Couldn't be they like it

0 ( +0 / -0 )

He jumped onto the tracks. So, his decision. What's the problem?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Modern mass media doesn't help, but he was alleged. Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, not guilty until proven innocent in a court of public opinion.

But if he were so innocent, he wouldn't run. If it was going to be a wrongful charge, have your day in court, prove it, and then sue them for deformation if he were worried about his reputation. Otherwise, if he were guilty, he would probably run.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

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