The man responsible for punching a woman in the face in Carpenders Park, after she had asked him to stop banging a bottle, has been jailed.

At Blackfriars Crown Court today, Najibullah Jannati, of Hindes Road, Harrow, was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of grievous bodily harm.

On Sunday June 27 last year, Jannati was sitting next to a 28-year-old woman on the platform at Harrow and Wealdstone station, and began tapping a glass bottle against the side of the seat.

Detective constable Tony Gittins, investigating officer, said: “Jannati was wearing headphones and so, realising Jannati would not be able to hear her if she spoke, the victim waved in-front of Jannati in order to ask him to stop tapping his beer bottle.

“From what was a simple request, Jannati became aggressive and verbally abusive towards the victim, making lewd and sexual remarks.”

When the train arrived, 20-year-old Jannati and the woman boarded different carriages, however, he moved through the train and sat in the seat directly behind her.

At Carpenders Park, the woman got off the train and was followed by Jannati, and as she climbed a set of stairs, Jannati ran from behind and punched her in the face, before running away.

The blow caused the woman to fall down the stairs, suffering a broken nose and a fractured left cheekbone.

CCTV images from the station cameras were released and, following a widespread media appeal, several members of the public came forward to identify Jannati as being responsible.

He was pictured wearing what police believed to be a distinctive yellow football t-shirt, from the 2006 play-offs involving Watford FC.

A local businessman offered a £1,000 reward in exchange for information leading to a conviction after he saw the footage.

The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “I cannot get out of my head the pictures of the victim stumbling about after the attack clearly not knowing what had hit her.”

Jannati was arrested in August 2010 and during interview denied he was involved.

DC Gittins added: “This was a shocking and vicious assault that appalled the public when the CCTV footage was released in the media.

“I am pleased that the courts have recognised the severity of Jannati’s actions and decided to jail him for a substantial amount of time.”