Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Violent crime on railways soars by 75% in five years
VIOLENT crime on trains has rocketed by 75 per cent in five years, new figures reveal.
More than 10,000 attacks were reported to British Transport Police last year, including 2,400 serious assaults – a 30 per cent rise since 2012-13.
Meanwhile, incidents such as spitting and pushing have nearly doubled over the same period – 6,700 in the last year alone.
The shocking statistics follow the fatal stabbing of Lee Pomeroy, 51, on a train in Surrey last weekend.
Darren Pencille, 35, has been charged with his murder and possession of an offensive weapon.
Oliver Lewis, of Bring Back British Rail, blamed ticketless passengers for the increase in crime. He said: “People who have not bought tickets are more likely to be from social groups that are more likely to commit crimes.”
And Tim Bellenger, of London Travel Watch, said: “Criminals are more likely to attempt to travel without a ticket, so if you can prevent them doing so it makes policing the railways easier.”