A frustrated CEO, battling to get the train home for his 55th birthday party, ended up in police custody after grabbing a ticket collector and shouting: “I bet you really want a f***ing fight you little gay boy,” a court heard yesterday.
Mortgage broker Simon Checkley, 55, demanded staff let him through a ticket barrier during the King’s Cross evening rush hour after missing his train, telling them: “Your service is b*******.”
The father-of-four, who lives in a £1.5m house in
Burnham Green Road, Datchworth, Hertfordshire pleaded guilty to assaulting Luke Leach on May 3.
At City of London Magistrates Court he was fined £500, with £300 costs, ordered to pay £100 compensation to the victim, plus a £50 victim surcharge.
He founded his Lincoln’s Inn Fields company two decades ago and celebrated that twenty-year anniversary as well as his own birthday with glasses of wine during the day, the court was told.
Prosecutor Jennifer Gatland said Mr. Leach is a revenue control officer at the station and was standing by the ticket barrier when he heard Checkley demand: “Oi staff. Leave me out.”
“The defendant was told there was no need to be rude and when he repeated that he wanted to be let out he was informed that his behaviour was hostile and rude.”
Checkley replied: “Your service is crap. What’s your name? I’m going to take a picture.”
CCTV was played to the court showing Checkley take out his phone and the victim states he was saying: “Smile for the picture.”
The court heard he then asked to see Mr. Leach’s name tag. “Mr. Checkley then grabbed the top of his left arm and said: ‘Come here.’
“Mr. Leach said: ‘Don’t touch me. That’s assault,’ and the police were called,” added Ms Gatland.
She said Checkley repeated four times: “Anytime, any place. We’ll see what happens.”
When questioned by police Checkley claimed his actions were more of a touch than a grab and denied making homophobic comments.
Afterwards Mr. Leach said: “I felt really angry at this comment because I do not like homophobic comments.”
Ms Gatland said: “He appeared to be drunk when this happened and he admitted to the police he had a few drinks.”
Checkley’s lawyer Ms Aisling Byrnes said: “This was the Friday of the weekend celebrating his fifty-fifth birthday and he had wine at lunchtime and a second lunch with wine.
‘He intended to catch the train home for a weekend family gathering. He went through the barrier, but missed the train and wanted to go back through the barrier to catch another train.
“He accepts he was frustrated and wanted to get to the train and admits he might have been abrupt and was reprimanded by Mr. Leach.
“Mr. Checkley was being told off and he escalated things by taking his phone out and the name badge was thrust toward him so things were getting heated on both sides.
“He has no recollection of using abusive language, but is not going to waste the court’s time by mitigating the difference.
“He has worked hard all his life and is used to good behaviour and good manners.
“He is not someone who is regularly inebriated. He wanted to get home for his birthday and was rude.
“He is a law-abiding man who lost his temper. He will have to disclose this conviction because he works in the finance sector and was ashamed to miss the birthday party because he was in police custody.”
“He is mortified and deeply sorry. He had been drinking and had little recollection of the incident until viewing the CCTV last week.
“He expresses a wish to apologise to Mr. Leach.”
Magistrate Colin Bateman-Jones told Checkley: “You are aware of the seriousness of the matter. The offence is worsened by the fact you were drinking and this gentleman was doing his job.
“You berated him with a homophobic comment and there were other people around.”
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