Ex-Boxing Champ Shoved Ticket Inspector Aside

Ticket Punched: Camacho

Former Commonwealth cruiserweight boxing champion Wadi Camacho has been convicted of assaulting a petite ticket inspector when caught travelling in First Class on the wrong train.

The six foot three 35 year-old, who has 21 victories, including 12 KO’s on his record, shoved the woman to one side when confronted on the platform of Euston Station.

He was found guilty after a trial at City of London Magistrates’ Court and was conditionally discharged for two years, ordered to pay £300 costs and £100 compensation to the victim.

Camacho, of Hopwood Court, Leven Road, Walthamstow was caught enjoying tea from a china cup in First Class, despite only having a Standard Class ticket for a later train on November 27, 2019.

Another ticket inspector told him to get off at the next stop or pay for the Birmingham to London journey and Camacho refused, resulting in Euston staff being alerted.

“It was the wrong train, wrong class, wrong time,” Andrew Simpson told the trial. “He was unwilling to buy another ticket.”

At Euston ticket inspector Olya Muzyka was waiting with a colleague. “He was not interested in talking to her and wanted to be on his way," added Mr Simpson.

“He physically pushed Olya out of the way to get past. She was shocked and is quite a bit smaller than the gentleman and said: ’Stop. That’s assault.’

“He mumbled something and kept walking. He did push her physically out of the way.”

Ms Muzyka told the court: “He was walking towards my face like I didn’t exist and was not stopping, just moving forward.

"Pushed": Ms Muzyka

“I was walking backwards and he put his hand on me, on my elbow and pushed me to one side. It was not aggressive, but it was an unwanted touch and is still an assault.

“There was an element of force and I lost my balance. He did move me out of the way, he did push me and did not have any intention to stop and just kept going.

“I was knocked off balance, causing me to drop my equipment and was squashed into another passenger.

“He completely ignored me. I was non-existent as a person.”

Her colleague Noah Young told the trial: “When Olya asked him for his ticket he laughed and walked away and pushed her out of the way with two hands.”

Nearby British Transport Police were alerted, but Camacho initially refused to give his name, insisting he had paid his fare and done nothing wrong.

He told the court he was only in First Class to get food and was happy to pay the £10 upgrade to sit there, but not pay for the journey.

“I told the inspector I was not going to pay because I already had a ticket.”

He denied pushing Ms Muzyka on the platform. “She said something about being a ticket officer and I showed her my ticket and they said I had to pay for a new one.

“I tried to move to the left and she had her arm extended and when I moved to the right she moved, so I went to the left and got past.

“I know how to conduct myself, I know how to deal with people.”

District Judge Karim Ezzat told Camacho, now a Marks & Spencer security guard: “Even now you say you would not pay one pound more for your fare.

“You were frustrated and you did push past although there was no great aggression to it.

“All of the witnesses say you made contact with the complainant and I am sure you moved her.”

In her victim impact statement Ms Muzyka said: “This has left me intimidated by customers who are taller and larger than me and I feel more vulnerable because of this incident.”