Thief forced £10 into man’s mouth after raiding buffet

A PENSIONER who forced a £10 note into the mouth of a fellow rail passenger after helping himself to food and drink from a first class train compartment has been found guilty of assault.

Leslie Gilmer, 69, who had a standard class ticket on the London to Exeter train, was seen taking red wine and snacks from the complementary trolley in first class last November.

But when he was challenged about his behaviour by fellow passenger, Peter Ellis, a personal injury barrister, he forced a ten pound note into his mouth and told him: “I’ll see you in court.”

Exeter magistrates’ court heard how Gilmer, a retired engineer who was travelling with his wife, had been behaving in a “rather obnoxious manner”.

After complaining to staff about the state of the lavatories, he began regularly helping himself to refreshments which were meant for first-class passengers.

Mr Ellis said that on the fifth occasion he spoke to Gilmer telling him: “Excuse me. Would you mind if you require any more to eat, to use the buffet in your section of the train.”

He said Gilmer left the compartment, but minutes later he felt his head being pushed back against the seat headrest. He told the court: “I felt an object being pushed into my mouth. I smelt stale alcohol. The defendant’s speech was not coherent but he said ‘Eat this you ----’.”

Gilmer was spoken to by police when the train arrived at Exeter but claimed he had simply been trying to pay for the items he had taken.

The magistrates rejected his explanation, and he was fined £650 and told to pay £840 costs and £250 compensation to Mr Ellis – a total of £1,740.