A man who punched a train guard in the face has been jailed for 20 weeks, following a British Transport Police investigation.

John Edward Igoe, aged 35 and of Pennine Close, St Helens, was handed the prison sentence at Bootle Magistrates’ Court on Friday 7 September. He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to his victim.

Nathan Harding, aged 27, of Prior Street, Bootle, was fined £381 for racially aggravated threatening behaviour in the lead up to the assault. He was ordered to pay costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £38.

The court heard how on 16 August last year both men boarded a train at Southport station and were behaving in a loud and disorderly manner, with Harding shouting and swearing.

At Blundellsands and Crosby station two Asian boys boarded the train and were immediately subject to racially aggressive abuse from Harding. When a woman with a baby intervened, Harding became aggressive towards her. Fearing for her safety she backed away and reported Harding to the train guard.

When the pair left the train at Waterloo and the guard tried to close the carriage doors, Igoe prevented him from doing so and reached into the carriage punching him in the face.

Igoe was charged with actual bodily harm and Harding with racially aggravated disorderly behaviour and threatening behaviour, offences they pleaded guilty to ahead of sentencing.

Investigating officer DC Richard Hague said: “This was a despicable attack on a member of rail staff who in an attempt to keep the peace and prevent the incident from escalating was left with severe injuries to his mouth which resulted in him requiring dental treatment.
“Harding’s vile racist slurs directed at two innocent young boys was shameful. Not to mention his aggressive intimidation of a young woman with a baby who refused to stand by while he spouted his racist abuse.”