Man Jailed For Racist Abuse On Tube

7 December 2013, 06:00

A man who hurled racist abuse at two Tube passengers has been jailed, following a British Transport Police investigation.

52 year old Keith Hurdle, of Harrow Way, Carpenders Park, Hertfordshire, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 6 December.

He was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to two racially aggravated public order offences.

The court heard how Hurdle made the racially-offensive comments on a Bakerloo line train in the Green Park area during the evening of Tuesday, 15 October.

Hurdle directed his abuse towards a 50-year-old female passenger until she left the service, before turning his attention towards a 25-year-old man.

The incident was filmed and uploaded to YouTube.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Lawrence Murphy, the investigating officer, said: “BTP officers were made aware of the video four days after the incident and immediately launched an investigation. Hurdle was arrested later that evening at his home address and taken to a police station. Hurdle later claimed that he could not remember the incident as he had been drinking but pleaded guilty to the charges. We treat all allegations of racism on the London Underground network extremely seriously and I would like to thank those members of the public who came forward to assist us with this investigation. BTP does not tolerate Hate Crime and anyone who is a victim should report it immediately to police so we can work to trace and arrest the offender as soon as possible.”