A man has been jailed after he threw a cigarette at a teenage boy’s face at Oxford railway station, following a British Transport Police investigation.
Scott Hadlow, aged 43, of HMP Five Wells, Wellingborough, pleaded guilty to common assault at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on 23 May. He was sentenced to 12-weeks in prison and ordered to pay £50 compensation.
On 30 September last year, a teenage boy was at Oxford station with friends. While waiting for their train they began to take selfies with their mobile phones. At this point Hadlow approached the teen, threw a cigarette at his face and became verbally aggressive, using foul language and making homophobic comments.
The victim was able to take a picture of Hadlow that enabled officers to make a positive identification,
Police Constable Harry Hunt from BTP said:
“Homophobic abuse, verbal or physical, is something we take extremely seriously and will not be tolerated on the railway and we always take action where possible.
“I would like to thank the victim who came forward and helped us to get Hadlow the prison sentence handed down by the Oxford Magistrates Court.”
If you experience any issues on public transport, contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 at any time. Always call 999.
Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
