Find local news in Kent

Home   Sheerness   News   Article

'Racist' man abuses passenger on Sittingbourne to Sheerness train

15:00, 06 January 2016

updated: 16:12, 06 January 2016

Shocking footage has emerged of a man hurling racist abuse at a woman travelling with her two young children on a busy train.

The incident took place yesterday on the 3.25pm service from Sittingbourne to Sheerness.

The confrontation reportedly started after the black woman, who was travelling with a toddler and baby, asked the man to stop making loud noises.

Scroll down for video

Passengers jumped to the woman's defence
Passengers jumped to the woman's defence

According to a fellow passenger, the man boarded the train at Sittingbourne and sat about two seat rows away from the family.

Shortly before stopping at Kemsley station, he allegedly started making scary, aggressive sounds that upset the woman’s baby.

After she asked him to stop, the man then began yelling at her, saying she had no right to be in the UK and she should change her infant’s nappy.

VIDEO: Passengers jump to woman's defence as man hurls abuse

A fellow passenger travelling to Sheerness filmed the incident unfolding on her mobile phone.

The 27-year-old woman, who did wish to be named, said: “She politely asked him to stop because he was scaring her kid.

"Everyone has the right to travel on the rail network without fear of intimidation or crime" - police spokesman

“Then he started shouting at her about the kids, saying they need to be changed, and then he started saying ‘go back to your own country’.

“People jumped in, everyone was disgusted and telling him to ‘shut up’.

“It was awful, I couldn’t believe it.”

But the tirade wasn’t only directed at the woman and her children.

After the family got off the train at Kemsley, a second man went to confront the disruptive passenger.

He was however met with a barrage of derogatory comments, including being asked whether he had a British passport and referring to another person as a “black b******”.

According to the woman who posted the video clip on Facebook, the abusive man, who was wearing a black hooded coat, eventually got-off the train at Queenborough.

The man boarded the train with other passengers at Sittingbourne railway station
The man boarded the train with other passengers at Sittingbourne railway station

British Transport Police (BTP) has confirmed the incident was reported and officers are investigating.

A spokesman said: “It was reported to us at 4.04pm on Tuesday and officers will be speaking to witnesses and viewing CCTV.

“Everyone has the right to travel on the rail network without fear of intimidation or crime, and racial abuse of any kind will not be tolerated.”

Anyone with information is asked to call BTP on 0800 405040 or text 61016, quoting reference 310 of 05/01/16.

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More