Jail for man who racially abused passengers on train

Darren Ingham, 47, of Kingsley Avenue, Kersal, Salford, pleaded guilty to breaching his ASBO by racially abusing the pair and was jailed at Manchester and Salford Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 15 February. The court heard how on 6 January Ingham was travelling on a Preston bound train from Blackpool South, when he began harassing and verbally abusing two Asian men in the same carriage. He was spotted by a concerned female passenger flailing his arms and making references to terrorists and bombs before asking the two men, who did not respond to his racist remarks, for a fight.

Concerned for their safety and in a show of solidarity, the woman switched seats so that she was sitting at a table with the men. At this Ingham directed his torrent of abuse towards her, threatening that ’his mates would be waiting for her when she got off the train’ and that she would be ‘dragged along the tracks’ before mimicking firing a gun at her. When the train arrived at Preston, Ingham was identified to British Transport Police and arrested. A small amount of cannabis resin was found in his pocket. Ingham was jailed for 20 weeks for breaching the ASBO and cannabis possession. He was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £115. Inspector Neil Hubbs said: “Ingham’s vile racist abuse was considered so serious and his comments so appalling that Magistrates were left with no other choice than to hand down a custodial sentence. This should serve as a lesson to like-minded individuals who believe they can vent their ignorant and hate-filled views freely in public, that racist abuse like this will never be tolerated on the rail network.

“We will do everything in our power to ensure they are brought before the courts.

“Special mention should be given to the bravery of the lone female passenger who was so disgusted by Ingham’s behaviour that she stepped in and whose subsequent evidence helped bring him to justice.”