After nearly two decades, New South Wales Police have apprehended a man responsible for a series of sexual assaults on women during peak-hour train journeys dating back to 2006. The offender, identified as 49-year-old Dinesh Raj Upreti, was taken into custody following an investigation sparked by a public appeal featuring his photo last year.

Upreti, a former public servant employed by the state government and a family man, had concealed his illicit behavior for approximately 19 years. His criminal conduct first came to light in November 2006 when he boarded a morning train at Sydenham station and engaged in inappropriate physical contact with a 31-year-old woman, pressing himself against her. The victim reported feeling moisture on her clothing afterward and provided police with a DNA sample collected from semen evidence.

Less than a year later, in October 2007, Upreti repeated the offense on a crowded train departing Central Station. He pressed against a 25-year-old woman and continued to follow her movements while making contact, before disembarking at Town Hall Station. Similar to the earlier case, the woman felt a wet substance on her back, which was later used to obtain DNA evidence.

Police maintained the DNA profiles from these assaults for years, but the case remained unsolved until Upreti reoffended in early 2025. On February 3, 2025, he again engaged in sexual contact without consent against a woman on a train, followed by a nearly identical incident on March 3. The latter incident led to his identification and arrest after his image was circulated during a Police Transport Command appeal for public assistance.

Following his arrest on March 14, 2025, Upreti was charged with multiple counts related to the two most recent incidents. A search of his residence uncovered evidence linking him via DNA to the earlier assaults from 2006 and 2007, resulting in additional charges.

Upreti entered guilty pleas to two counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching without consent. During his sentencing last week at the NSW Local Court, Judge John Sfinas described Upreti’s conduct as “disgusting, despicable and repugnant,” emphasizing that all passengers have a right to feel safe while using public transport. The judge further stated that being violated in such a manner was "beyond repugnant."

Upreti was sentenced to a three-year intensive correction order, which includes 350 hours of community service. Four women who were victims of his offenses were present in the courtroom during the sentencing.