Assault at Westbury rail station

8 June 2010, 00:00 | Updated: 13 September 2017, 18:33

British Transport Police officers investigating an assault on a member of rail staff at a Wiltshire station are re-appealing for the public’s help to identify a man they want to speak to about the incident.

BTP released CCTV images of a man they believe can help with their enquiries into the incident but have yet to identify him.
 
The incident took place on the platform at Westbury rail station at 5.36pm on Thursday, 25 March 2010.

As the train was approaching Westbury station, the guard on board the 1451hrs Great Malvern to Weymouth service was checking tickets when he noticed the toilet doors were closed and the person inside was not answering.

The guard called on the assistance of a colleague and they opened the door to find a man inside who the guard remembered selling a ticket from Bath to Trowbridge.

PC Anthony Watt, the investigating officer, said: “The man inside the cubicle was told that his ticket was no longer valid and he would have to leave the train at Westbury.

“He got off but then tried to re-board the train further along in a different carriage but the guard spotted him and told him to leave again.

“As the man left the train, he pushed past the guard and elbowed him in the stomach before making off out of the station.

“This was an unnecessary and unprovoked assault on a member of railway staff who was simply trying to do his job.

“After viewing CCTV, we have identified a man who we believe can help us with our enquiries. We don't know where we was intending to travel to but the train carried on through Somerset and into Dorset after departing Westbury.

I would urge anyone who recognises him to contact British Transport Police with the details.”

After leaving Westbury, the train called at the following stations: Frome; Bruton; Castle Cary; Yeovil Pen Mill; Thornford; Yetminster; Chetnole; Maiden Newton; Dorchester West; Upwey and Weymouth.

Anyone who recognises the man in the CCTV image, or who knows his whereabouts is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, quoting incident number 557 of 25/03/2010, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.