A 46-year-old man repeatedly approached a 17-year-old girl when he saw her on the train.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard Mansour Najahoo told the girl on one occasion that he liked her and asked if he could have her number.
On another, he approached the frightened girl and handed her a note which said he thought they could have a good life together and they could make each other happy.
Najahoo, 46, of Blackburn Road, Darwen, was convicted after a trial, which he failed to attend, of harassment.
He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 10 days’ rehabilitation activity requirements and 100 hours’ unpaid work.
He was made subject to a restraining order which prohibits any contact with the victim for 12 months.
The chair of the magistrates said the defendant, who was assisted throughout the hearing by a Farsi interpreter, had approached the girl on multiple occasions despite her being clear in her rejection of his advances.
“The rehabilitation activity days will give you the opportunity to learn more about this country and the way things work here,” he said.
Safia Hussain, prosecuting, said the victim had seen Najahoo on the train before.
On the day of the first incident, he approached and sat in the seat next to her.
“When he said he liked her and asked if he could have her number, she immediately said no,” said Miss Hussain.
“She was scared and felt on edge because she did not find it normal for a man to approach her on a train and say these things to her.”
On another occasion she boarded the train, and he was already on.
She sat somewhere he could not see her and when she got off at Blackburn sat on a bench waiting for her connecting train.
“He walked towards her, and she set off to go to the next platform,” said Miss Hussain.
“When she realised he was following close behind her, she dropped back and watched him board the train,” said Miss Hussain.
“She went into a different carriage, but he then approached her and said he liked her before handing her a handwritten note."
The note said he thought they could have a good life together and they could make each other happy.
He provided his phone number and said she was beautiful and attractive and he loved her.
“She said the incidents made her feel very frightened and vulnerable,” said Miss Hussain.
“She changed her routine and even thought about not using the train at all."
Duncan Nightingale, offering mitigation, said he believed cultural differences had played a part in the offence.
He said his client was an asylum seeker who, despite having been in this country for two and a half years at the time, has poor English.
“His instructions are that he smiled at this girl and she smiled back, and it started from there,” said Mr Nightingale.
“I accept this young lady was simply being polite and nothing more, and he read more into it than he should have done.”
Mr Nightingale said the note his client handed to the girl had been done via Google Translate.
“It is clear he did not appreciate the effect this would have on the young lady on the train,” said Mr Nightingale.
“He is genuinely sorry for the upset he has caused.”
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