JAILED: Vile Fare Dodger Who Assaulted And Abused Rail Staff

A serial fare dodger has been jailed for physically attacking and verbally abusing train staff when asked to show a ticket.

John Gilbert, 40, was even armed with a knife on one occasion.

He travelled between London and Surrey and subjected staff to racist and homophobic abuse when challenged to prove he had properly paid his fare.

Gilbert received sixteen months imprisonment when he was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court for assault; racially and homophobically-aggravated harassment and possession of a knife.

He walked through the ticket barriers at Woking railway station on August 1, last year and instantly became aggressive when a female member of staff requested he scan a ticket.

Gilbert shouted abuse at the woman’s colleague, before racially and homophobically abusing both members of staff when he was asked to leave the station.

At one point, Gilbert claimed he “wasn’t breaking the law” as he continued his barrage of racial slurs and homophobic abuse.

Gilbert continued to act aggressively as he left the station and shouted a final piece of racist abuse as he exited.

Later in the year, on Monday, November 11, Gilbert was on a train from London Waterloo to West Byfleet and was asked by a train guard if he had a ticket.

Gilbert responded with aggression, verbally abusing the train guard before being escorted off the service. 

Gilbert then hit the train guard in the face with a bottle full of liquid while verbally abusing him.

British Transport Police were called to the station and Gilbert was arrested on suspicion of assault, and after being searched was further arrested for possession of a bladed article after a knife housed in a makeshift sheath was found on his person.

Investigating officer PC Andrew Westbrook said: “We will not tolerate violent or abusive behaviour of any kind on the railway network, whether it be towards passengers, rail staff, or police officers. 

“Gilbert is clearly a violent and dangerous person, so I am very happy with a result that takes him off of the railway network.

“The victims in this case were simply trying to do their job. 

“Subjecting them to this kind of awful verbal and physical abuse is completely abhorrent and totally unacceptable. 

“No one should expect to come to work to be subject to vile racial or homophobic slurs, or should have to face violence as they attempt to carry out their work.”