Relief for feet-on-seat student

Paul Britton

September 04, 2007

| Submit Comments | Comments (38) | Previous | Next

Relieved: Kathleen Jennings

A STUDENT prosecuted for putting her feet on a train seat walked free from court today with an absolute discharge.

Kathleen Jennings wept and hugged her parents in court as magistrates cleared her of any penalty.

She was not even ordered to pay costs.

As revealed in yesterday's MEN, the maths student at Manchester University was being hauled before Chester Magistrates today after an enforcement officer with Merseyrail challenged her for putting her feet on the seat.

The company has a zero tolerance policy towards this and 250 people have already been prosecuted since February.

Kathleen, 19, from Oldham, was issued with a summons by post even though she took her flip-flops off the seat immediately and apologised.

The court heard how she was first approached on the train by an officer and then met again at the platform at Chester station when she got off by a second man.

After hearing how she cried in front of the second officer and begged him not to take any further action, magistrates said they were "united" in branding Merseyrail's policy "draconian."

Chairman of the bench Christine Abrams said: "The bench is united in feeling that while this is contrary to a bye-law, we feel that Merseyrail should have a less draconian method of dealing with matters of this nature. A fixed penalty system may be more appropriate."

Kathleen pleaded guilty to the charge - "wilfully interfering with the comfort or convenience of other rail passengers."

After leaving the court, Kathleen said: "I am relieved. It has been very distressing. I thought that the magistrates were not going to give me an absolute discharge. I thought the worst.

"This has been a very difficult time for me and putting me through this has caused me great distress. I regretted what I did but I would not have minded an on-the-spot fine."

Should a case like this go to court? Have your say.

Articles

'Feet on seat court' fury

| Submit Comments | Comments (38) | Previous | Next

Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

Perry Narrington (04/09/2007 at 11:34)

Merseyrail have done a brilliant jon in deterring anti-social behaviour on their trains. Criminal damage caused by people damaging seats with their feet decreases the life of the train interior by years and creates a miserable travelling experience for those of us with any sense of standards. It deserves to be dealt with by the courts.

I bet the magistrates don't have to travel amongst the smelly, dirty people who put their feet up where others have to sit.

come-on-city (04/09/2007 at 11:35)

Good.

The Catcher, In the Rye (04/09/2007 at 11:36)

Hoorah for common sense. Now, Merseyrail why don't you go and catch some real criminals!

sallyg, Lancs (04/09/2007 at 11:48)

Unfortunatey, of course, she now has a criminal record.

Phil Taylor (04/09/2007 at 12:07)

What's a train seat?

As a regular commuter, I rarely see a seat that isn't sat on. For the last 8 years I've had to stand on most journeys into work squashed into the gap between carriages.

Antisocial behaviour? try and get British Transport Police to deal with the beggars and low life hanging around Bolton station.

Mike, Manchester (04/09/2007 at 12:12)

Common sense prevailed. Pity it couldn't have been used right from the start.

Womble, Westhoughton (04/09/2007 at 12:18)

No, sallyg, she doesn't have a criminal record - she got an absolute discharge.

The Catcher, In the Rye (04/09/2007 at 12:29)

I've had an absolute discharge. It is curable.

1_up (04/09/2007 at 12:31)

Absolute discharge means she has been convicted but she receives no punishment. The damaged caused by a bare foot on a seat cannot be more than if someone had sat on it, also as she left her shoes on the floor, its no less hygienic than putting your hand on the seat. Its a shame she didn't fight the conviction.

Trudy, Bolton (04/09/2007 at 12:35)

Zero tolerence is good - fixed penalties for those with the funds to pay. I am fed up of sitting where other people have put their dirty shoes on the seats (not footrests!). It's another example of slipping standards and lack of manners. Maybe they would do it at home.

Liamo, Manchester City Centre (04/09/2007 at 12:47)

What a ridiculous waste of police and court time!

Mr Manchester (04/09/2007 at 12:53)

Yes, we see your discharge daily Catcher. It is curable by not typing.

What a waste of time for everyone concerned (the story, not you Catcher, but then again...).

Colin W, Abroad (04/09/2007 at 12:54)

Trudy, yes zero toleraence but for those that cant or wont pay, prison.

Giles (04/09/2007 at 12:55)

So what this tells us is that it's perfectly OK to put your feet up on the seats on trains.

I shall stretcvh out a bit more when I next go on a train then.

Durns, Ashton u Lyne (04/09/2007 at 13:01)

disretion should have been shown by the rail enforcer, not the need to make up the numbers. Had Miss Jennings had muddy boots on and willfully done it, then yes, proscecute.

sallyg, Lancs (04/09/2007 at 13:02)

Wrong, Womble.

An absolute discharge leaves you with a criminal record, but you are not punished.

What else could they do? She pleaded guilty.

Henry Piggot-Smythe, Prestbury (04/09/2007 at 13:12)

An abominable reprieve for someone taken to court by a caring company who only had the welfare and comfort of its other passengers at heart. You would think the courts were trying to drive the better dressed members of the British public out of their fine attire and into the kind of soiled tracksuits and plimsolls that the majority now wear. Therefore any dirt picked up from filthy public seating doesn't affect their already scruffy appearance in the slightest.

The Right to Reply (04/09/2007 at 13:23)

Answer...dont put your feet on the train chairs, all the stuff under shoes etc, and we have to all sit on it! Simple learn some manners. I agree no fine, however bet she wont do it again in a hurry.

bromleyspeaking, cumhardy (04/09/2007 at 13:44)

They go to all this trouble, to prosecute this girl,yet not too far away from here, two other teenage girls were issued with just a police caution, for brandishing imitation firearms, in a densely populated area.

Calamity (04/09/2007 at 14:00)

If there was a decnt amount of leg room, you wouldn't be able to put your feet up on the seats.

Octavius Tinsworth Ace (04/09/2007 at 14:06)

Surely a simple "please don't put your feet on the seats" requests would have been met with compliance from this young lady -- she seems a decent sort. Unfortunately, this is yet another example of rail companies running roughshod over passengers, something they're unique in being able to do since, unlike any other organization which relies on paying customers for its income, they all have a monopoly on their section of the network. Rail companies ought to be made more accountable to regulatory bodies and not be allowed to treat passengers like dirt/sardines/criminals in the disgraceful manner that they currently do.

Paul Nolan.......Super Leeds, Manchester (04/09/2007 at 14:14)

It makes me sick-once again the "CLASS" system pops iys ugly head up in our country.
If this girl would have come from a council estate the court would have thrown the book at her but because she comes from a rich family they let her off with the crime-Their will never be justice in this country whilst yobs like this girl can be above the law....Its one rule for the rich and another for the poor

Womble, Westhoughton (04/09/2007 at 14:14)

sallyg wrote:

Wrong, Womble.

An absolute discharge leaves you with a criminal record, but you are not punished.

What else could they do? She pleaded guilty.

Womble : Yes, I'm sorry, I stand corrected.

Lisa Moore...Wilmslow...Cheshire (04/09/2007 at 14:39)

PAUL NOLAN- 99.9% of crime IS commited by the working class and the poor that is why they get the book thrown at them in the courts, if the poor got off theyre backside and got a job they wouldnt have to go thieving everyday.

Happyblue, DEEP INSIDE THE KREMLIN SSHH (04/09/2007 at 14:47)

Lisa Moore...Wilmslow...Cheshire

If the poor could get well paying jobs then they wouldn't be poor.would they.

This girl does not deserve a criminal record full stop,she was asked to take her feet off and complied immediatley,even apoligising.

()

Report

News