Woman, 62, ordered to pay £2,400 after racially abusing Tube passenger
A woman who racially abused a London Tube passenger has been ordered to pay £2,400, after an investigation by the British Transport Police.
Ruth Tilley, 62, of City of Westminster, committed the offence around 9.15am on Wednesday 2 January at Oxford Circus London Underground station.
She was sentenced at Blackfriars Crown Court after being found guilty at an earlier hearing of racially aggravated common assault.
The court heard that the victim, a 38-year-old woman from Brent, was walking towards the eastbound Central line platform when she heard Tilley make a racially abusive comment.
While the victim waited on the platform for her train, Tilley stood in front of the woman shouting racial abuse and threatening her.
Tilley then grabbed the victim by her throat and pushed her against the wall.
When the train arrived, Tilley let go and walked off along the platform.
She denied the charge but was found guilty following a trial.
Tilley was ordered to pay a £500 fine, £500 compensation and £1,400 court costs.
Detective Constable Lawrence Murphy, the investigating officer, said: "Ruth Tilley's behaviour was completely unacceptable and is not tolerated on the Tube network.
"This type of abuse is fortunately rare on the London Underground, but when it does happen, British Transport Police takes it very seriously and will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.
"Anyone who is a victim of Hate Crime should report it immediately to police so we can work to trace and arrest the offender as soon as possible."
Siwan Hayward, Acting Director of Community, Safety, Enforcement and Policing, TfL said: "Passengers who use our services should be allowed to do so without fear of abuse. We are pleased with the penalty given for this racial assault and will continue to work with our policing partners to push for the strongest penalties for anyone who commits a crime on our network."
Related articles
Video: Man lunges at woman who calls him 'smelly Nigerian' on Tube
Tube passenger handed £210 fine for spitting on Polish man in 'racist' outburst
'Racist' Tube rant woman jailed for five months
