A Restless Bunch

In another case of attack on a tube worker, a man has been given the punishment of 12 weeks of suspended imprisonment for each of the charges by City of Westminster Magistrates‘ Court. The accused pleaded guilty to the charges of common assault for attacking a tube worker as well as of assaulting a police officer at Goodge Street station on February 27, 2010. He was also charged for threatening behaviour.

Derek Acton, an unemployed 37-year-old man, tried pushing his way through one of the lifts in the tube station on February 27, 2010 when he was inebriated. However, a staff member who asked him to buy a ticket stopped him. When Derek Acton did not listen to him, the staff member called the supervisor. By that time, the accused had become very abusive and threatening and hit the supervisor in the thigh when he was going to complain to the British Transport Police (BTP). When the BTP arrived, the accused even tried pushing an officer away.

He has been given a 12 weeks sentence for each offence but the sentence is suspended for 12 months. He has also been ordered to pay a compensation of £100 to each of his victims. He will be under supervision for the coming 12 months and will have to attend alcohol treatment for half a year.

According to Aidan Harris, London Underground’s Workplace Violence Unit Manager, in order to travel in the tube, you need a valid ticket and that is why the staff stopped him. His behaviour afterwards was unacceptable. London Underground will not tolerate such behaviour that can endanger its workers.

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