Inspector throttles suspected fare dodger

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Here's a sample of the latest views published.

Too many people are allowed to get away with not paying fares or for that matter any responsability in their life.

Lets not even start on people with mobile phones playing music out loud!

- Ian, London

To Henry and Ian H., no one is saying that the fare dodger should have been allowed to get away with abusive behaviour but can you really say that holding him down in a manner that caused him breathing difficulties was a justifiable and appropriate response?

- Shamalie, London

Behave decently and you will be treated as such. If you don't then you deserve what you get.

- Henry, UK

That kind of behaviour by the inspector cannot possibly be justified. How can throttling someone be appropriate at all? Just for a train fare? That's not right. Transport police should have dealt with him appropriately for the abuse at the inspector.

- Dominic John Baptise, London

Well done to the ticket inspector. However, he'll now probably lose his job. He'll then be unable to pay his mortgage and his relationship with his wife/partner will suffer. However, at least the criminal will get off and carry on offending!

- Ian H, London, Harrow, UK

What does it matter that this was a fare dodger. London Transport allows all children up to the age of 16 to travel free on all buses within all london boroughs. If you add this up, it will be a fair number of 'fares'. Don't forget, we are paying for these children by the huge increases that were recently announced. On my local bus, school children can't be bothered to walk 2 or 3 stops anymore - they just hop on a bus for one stop. I've seen children being asked for proof of identity if they look about 16, but they just get on the bus whatever. The bus driver isn't going to challenge then on his own is he? I don't condone fare dodgers, but what does it matter if he pays or not - thousands aren't. Scrap free fares, and the blurred line of who pays for what is eradicated.

- Jenny, london, england

The fare dodger was not a 'passenger' as he would have paid like the rest of us. But in fact I applaud the ticket inspector. There are far too many people who get away with not paying - are then subsequently abusive to the ticket inspectors and get away scot free. If a few more of them knew they could not get away with it then maybe it would make them think twice.

For once the rest of us do not have to substitute these obnoxious criminals - because that is what they are criminals.

- J Kaur, London

I disagree with Dave from Peckham. The No.12 surely wouldn’t remain the ‘Happy Bus’ for very long if we had to pay for it!

- Kylie, East Dulwich

In today's gun and knife-carrying youth culture, the Inspector should be allowed to take what ever means appropriate to protect himself and other bystanders in pursuit of his job.

- Albert Swift, London, England

This is completely unacceptable behaviour by the ticket inspector. Both hands round his throat! For no ticket! This inspector has lost the plot. I agree that there is a problem with fare dodging but he has absolutely no right to restrain any commuter whether they have paid their fare or not in this way. Is he trained to restrain people like this? Does he know the dangers associated with choking people? One of the most shocking things to me is the fact that so many people agree with his techniques! Totally, totally unacceptable behaviour and this man should be sacked without a doubt.

- Chris Hayward, London, UK

Looking at the picture the fare dodger is not being "throttled" but he is being restrained with a fist to the back of his neck. This is a typical example of media sensationalising a story which could result in a man who faces a difficult job being vilified. The threats that transport workers put up with from some fare dodgers can be quite terrifying and i'll bet that no-one making comments on these pages has to put up with any of the abuse that these guys probably take on a daily basis. The inspector may have been over zealous but one mistake doesn't mean he should be treated like a criminal. Other "criminals" don't seem to be treated this way by the justice system

- Marc, london

Doesnt take much for the rednecks on here to show their true colors. Yes, strangulation is an appropriate punishment for avoiding a £4 fare isnt it?

Sheesh!

- David Falconer, London, UK

Everyone can see how agressive inspectors are? Themselves dishing out verbal abuse, treating everyone as potential criminals and generally insulting behaviour.

These people do NOT have formal training, like the police, yet they have the power to arrest - no employees of private sector companies should have the power to arrest!

I'm fed up with over-enthusiatic inspectors, looking to obtain a position of power in their sad, pathetic existence. I witnessed a very similar incedent in Gospel Oak last year, and the ticket inspector took the civilian, who did not have the money to pay, to court. (In the past, if someone has no money to pay, they would have told the civillian to disembark.)

The whole thing went to court, only for the Inspector to pull a no-show, wasting half my day... coward! He couldn't be bothered! Well I could, I was a witness, and I was glad the guy got off.

All that aside, does anyone think the massive ticket prices, generating huge profits for the rail companies in the UK, might actually be down to their greed, and not the "dodgers"?

- Pete Shaw, London

Fare dodging is a problem but strangulation? Come on people, get off your high horse and get a grip with reality here! Ticket inspectors are not police and have no training in physically restraining a person. This inspector is obvisouly some hero wannabe on a power trip. The guy's not a rapist or drug dealer and he's not the reason you pay so much for transport. Write the guy a ticket and if he runs it becomes a matter for the police end of story.

- Simon, london

I think the treatment of this passenger is appaulling considering he committed an offence does not mean he automatically loses his human rights (O ye without sin.....). I think the other comments on this site so far are not being completely fair, although like the article says the industry losses alot of money due to fair dodgers - money is not a moral reason to justify pysical abuse (yes i know worse things happen for less money) and in the case of verbal abuse by the passenger surely the officer in question should have been more professional (due to his training and age) in dealing with the suitation - a popular case like Zidane of France versus Materazzi of Italy sees Zidane sent off based on conduct - in this case there is no game a human being rights have been breached and there must be adequate punishment for that fact.

I know centrally this is not what the company is trying to be about but lets call a spade a spade, this suitation was not properly handled by the officials in question and I think that the company should revise some of its policies on what can be deemed restrainable/reasonable force.

- Sam, Essex

Well done inspector. Except now its time for liberal minded folks to have another extended whine.

- Mark Cleminson, Richmond, BC Canada

Excellent! Why should the law abiding public subsidise yobs and layabouts who create anarchy. Well done to the official who should get a bonus. Alas, in todays PC soociety - no chance.

- Roy Gilbert, Solihull, England

To me the inspector action was worng and he should face the consequences of acting unproffessionally.There are surely other ways of dealing with such scenarios.To all of you supporting the mr inspector remember when these greedy guys go on strike and your trains are not running and you have to use a bus.The inspector to me is in the same class as the fare dodger ie no respect for others.Whats going to happen if his child if has any sees this.He or she will think its good to strangle other kids when offended.I hope he loses his job and stands on the same dole queue as the the passenger.

- Owen, london

Strangulation is not an appropriate punishment for anything.

- Keith, Farringdon, London

I think the train inspector was very brave to do what he did, most people wouldn't bother and that is exactly why these people think they can get away with breaking the law. They get no sympathy from me, as far as I'm concerned the fare dodger got what he deserved.

- Chan, UK

The inspector has done an excellent job and should be applauded. The fare dodger got exactly what he deserved and the inspector should receive a medal from the queen for his dedication to his duties. We need more inspectors just like him. Great job!! Serves you right, Mr Hoodie!

- Amanda Vanalaf, London

It looks like the Inspector overstepped the mark by a long way. Whether this guy was a fare-dodger or not, to use physical force to restrain him in a way that breaches best practice guidance and health & safety procedures, is simply not on. Exercise some proportionality in your response.

- Ronnie, GB

The comments above fully reflect the mood of the nation. This man should not have even been restrained, he should have been shot immediately (I believe there are precedents for this within the transport system). And while we are at it buskers should be sent to the colonies and forced to mine salt for daleks. I don't care that he hasn't been proved guilty either, he is clearly wearing a hood and should be burned at stake for doing so. I agree with my friend's neighbour, Mr Dufty. Everyone should be forced to wear expensive clothes. No-one would break into houses, fight, or run from ticket inspectors in case they ripped them.

- Dominic Judge, Saltash, Cornwall

If he gets the sack, can we have him on the No. 12 from Oxford Circus to Dulwich? With him as a deterrent maybe it wouldn't be known as the 'Free Bus' anymore.

- Dave, Peckham

I say 'well done you!' to the inspector. This country is far too soft on offenders and hence the increase in crime and violence. The fare dodger did wrong and the inspector was only doing his job. If England were a bit harder on such offenders there'd be less crime and violence on streets tubes and buses. So well done Mr inspector!

- Zana, London

These people should not get away with this! Well done Mr Ticket inspector....we need tough action against these people...we have gone too soft on criminals!

- Victor, London

I totally agree with both Eddie, and Adam, if you commit a crime expect to be dealt with harshly, why should the rest of society have to put up with these criminals.

I support the inspector fully, there should be more of his type on duty.

Then the criminals would think twice about fare-dodging if they know they will be throttled.

- Kuldip, Holborn

So, in Adam and Eddie's world (previous posts) the next time I see another 4x4 driver scrape the side of my car and drive off (i live by a school), I'm within my rights to chase afer them, drag them out of their car and hold them by the throat until the police arrive? Think about it.

- Jamie T, London, UK

I was just wondering what qualifications the passenger who took the photos has, to be able to state that the restraint of the fare dodger was "inappropriate and not consistent with approved control and restraint procedures"?
Also I would sugges that the dodger was not so much"trying to get into a position which would relax the grip on his windpipe " but was more like trying to escape capture.
It makes a change to see someone stand up to these petty thieves and thugs but unfortunately, in the currnet political climate it will probably be the guard in court and the fare dodger free to thieve again.

- Kit, London UK

Well done to the Ticket Inspector and colleague. He has no protecttion so what else would he do except restrain the offender in whatever way he could until police help arrives. Why should these people get away without paying, he probably does this on a daily basis costing C2C money which penalises law abiding people who have to pay the fare hikes to compensate. Again WELL DONE!

- Kate, Grays Essex

It's most impressive to read that my fellow commuters consider strangulation at the scene of the incident to be the most appropriate punishment for fare dodging (otherwise a £20- fine).

I'm going to move my pension fund out of water purification plant and into jackboot factories.

- Sam_M, london

I was a ticket inspector for First Great Western for four years and I never found it neccesary to use violence while carring out my duties. Throttling someone for evading a train fare? Come on. The inspector in question will lose his job, and rightly so. There's no justification for endangering someone's life under those circumstances.

"Bleeding heart liberals defending these people"? Actually Neil, not even a bleeding heart liberal would defend someone who thought it was OK to use physical violence to enforce a train fare. And by "responsible citizen" I assume you don't mean the ticket inspector, who was surely the least responsible person involved in the incident.

- Stephen L, London UK

As holder of an annual season ticket, I too agree that fare dodgers need to be tackled. But maybe the bystander has a point with regards to the procedures? Was this bystander someone with experience of this sort of thing? It sounded like they knew what they were talking about. Could it be if this inspector was properly trained in restraint methods, our "dodger" would not have a case against him. Madness I know, but it does seem that some people who insist on breaking the law love to use the law against those that uphold it!

- Julie, london, UK

I don't know about what restraining techniques people are supposed to use but the fare dodger broke the law and abused a worker. Well done for holding him (using whatever method he could) until the police arrived. The fare dodger deserves no sympathy!

- Eddie, London

These Inspectors take their life in their hands dealing with fare dodgers these days.

- Squiz, Islington

Thank the ticket inspector. It can't be easy dealing with criminals who have no regard for anyone but themselves. How can he be criticised by anyone except the most mindless apologist. Faredodging is theft and these thieves deserve much stiffer punishment. We all pay for their free-loading.

- Adam Sheffield, London, England

As somebody who pays nearly 200 quid a month for a railcard I'm fed up with the bleeding heart liberals defending these people. Every time they get away with it its costs the people who do the right thing more money. Its a perfect allegory of life under this government. If you do the right thing, pay your taxes, car insurance, dont break the law etc the government squeezes you for more and more. If you con your way through life, dont bother paying car insurance or rail fare for example there is seemingly no come back. The poor bloke who is now in the dock is the guy who challenged him. The fare dodger will no doubt get let off and then he'll get some compensation for his feelings being hurt.
There is no longer any benefit in this country in being a responsible citizen.

- Neil, london

I think the inspector deserves a medal at the very least. For how long do the poor rail companies, who take flak on all sides, have to put up with the merciless onslaught of these verminous types who march roughshod all over the rail operators' basic economic rights to charge what they want for their services without any form of public consultation whatsoever? I for one would be happy to see a further - reasonable - increase in my fares in order to concentrate all our efforts on preventing a single other person from getting through our wonderful system without paying for the privilege.

- Jamie, London

While I don't condone what this inspector did, I, too, have felt the urge to throttle fare dodgers, especially those who sneek through the gate behind me after I use my Oyster card. I spend nearly £100 each month to get to and from work using the Tube, and the thought that someone is (illegally) benefiting from my following the rules makes me angry. Why is it so hard for some to follow the rules?

- Erin, London

I have no sympathy for the fare dodger at all.There are plenty of fare dodgers travelling and it is about time a tough line is taken in this respect.Put the Inspector back on duty.

- John, Surrey

I praise this man for having the courage to tackle the fare dodger. There must have been a reason for the attack. I think that he was either very silly or very brave as he himself could have been injured. Criminals have no scruples with regards to other people. Lets face it the law in this country is a joke thanks to the PC and human rights act.

- Kathy, UK

I'm glad to see someone prepared to make a stand. I'm sick of subsidising fare dodgers with the exorbitant fare increases. And that quote from a so-called passenger - who would say the measures were 'inappropriate and not consistent with approved control and restraint procedures'? A ridiculous story.

- Rod, london, uk

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