A Victorian man who used an offer to read women's palms as a ruse to sexually assault them while travelling on a train has been jailed for at least 10 months.
Ajay Chopra, 41, had pleaded guilty to all five charges relating to the assaults on five women over a three month period in 2011.
The Bendigo man targeted young women who were travelling alone on the Melbourne to Bendigo V/Line train, with each crime starting with an offer to tell their fortune.
"All of this was a ruse and what you were attempting to do was either to put their hand in your crotch area, or put your hand in their crotch area," Victorian County Court Judge Gerard Mullaly said.
Jailing Chopra for 21 months, Judge Mullaly said his actions were shameful and dishonourable.
"The fact they were conducted on public transport adds to the unfortunate sense of fear that women have that public transport is not safe," he said.
"This fear is corrosive and impacts on women's rights to go about their lives freely."
Prosecutor Neil Hutton said once Chopra had hold of a woman's hands he would resist any efforts by them to pull away.
In one case, he held his hand under a woman's dress. In another, he held his victim's hand against his penis.
"She could feel the man's erect penis on the back of her hand," Mr Hutton said.
"This activity happened for most of the trip to Bendigo, where he got off the train.
"He turned and said `have a nice life` as he did so."
Another incident was cut short - with Chopra moving to a different carriage - after the woman managed to make a mobile phone call.
Defence lawyer Mark Hird tendered to the court character references which he said showed Chopra was a gentle person and the incidents were completely out of character.
He said his client had entered an early plea of guilty to all charges - three counts of indecent assault, and two counts of attempted indecent assault.
"They are clearly quite serious offences ... and it is conceded they were carried out in circumstances of coercion," Mr Hird said.
Chopra, who was supported in the court by his wife, was placed on the sex offenders register for life.
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