Passenger hurled homophobic abuse and pushed train worker near tracks
A construction boss has been spared jail after hurling homophobic abuse and pushing a TfL employee towards the tracks at Baker Street tube station. (Wikimedia Commons)
A construction boss who shouted homophobic abuse at a Transport for London worker and pushed another London Underground employee towards the train tracks has escaped jail.
Scott O’Brien subjected TfL employee Gustavo Gonzalez to homophobic slurs after he was asked to move away from the edge of the Baker Street platform on September 7, reports MailOnline.
The site manager then hit Gonzalez with a rolled up newspaper and said to him: “Are you a funny c**t?”
Construction site manager shouts homophobic abuse at TfL staff
He went on to push another TfL employee, Kaleem Naeem, towards the tube tracks when he attempted to intervene.
O’Brien attempted to head butt Naeem, but instead made contact with the employee’s hand.
“I am very apologetic for everything and I just want to get it sorted as soon as possible.”
—O’Brien apologises in court
Speaking at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, O’Brien admitted to assaulting Gonzalez by beating.
O’Brien was sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. (Wikimedia Commons)
However, he denied a other charge of assaulting Naeem by beating and saying threatening words to cause alarm or distress.
O’Brien apologised in the court room.
“I am very apologetic for everything and I just want to get it sorted as soon as possible,” he said, reports MailOnline.
Construction boss apologises for homophobic abuse in court
He was spared jail and instead sentenced to a 12 month community order, including carrying out 120 hours of unpaid work.
O’Brien, of Wormley, Hertfordshire, was also ordered to pay £965 in court costs and victim surcharges.
Magistrate Jay Cheyne said to O’Brien: “We found Mr Naeem a credible and compelling witness.
“You could have got on the train and left the station. Instead you remained and prolonged the situation.
“You pushed Mr Naeem in the chest. We find as fact, you used threatening and abusive words to both London Underground workers.
“You used aggressive and homophobic language towards Mr Gonzalez.”
PinkNews has reported on a number of homophobic incidents on the London Underground in the past year.
In July, a man who was forced to apologise for being gay in a homophobic hate crime on the tube spoke out after his two assailants were spared jail.
The 20-year-old told the BBC : “I don’t feel that justice was served.
“I don’t feel it sets a very good example that homophobia completely isn’t acceptable, but that’s obviously what the court decided.”
The two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, avoided jail in May and were ordered to pay £150 compensation each to the victim, in addition to £20 each in costs.
They were also both handed 12-month referral orders to a youth offender programme.
