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Tuesday 30 Nov 2004

NETWORK RAIL BACKS ASSAULT CAMPAIGN – CASE STUDY

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National

Helen Dawson, Duty Station Manager, Leeds Network Rail employee Helen was on duty early one Sunday morning when she was told a passenger was refusing to present his ticket at the manned barrier. She went to investigate, accompanied by a station security officer.  When they asked the passenger to produce his ticket, he became agitated and aggressive. He came towards Helen in a threatening manner, even though the security officer stepped in his path in a bid to protect her. By this time Helen was trying to call the police, using her mobile, but the man grabbed the phone from her and threw it on to the track. He then repeatedly jabbed her in the corner of her eye with his finger. It took three police officers to overpower the man who, when he appeared in court, was given a 12 month rehabilitation order by magistrates. It transpired that the man had assaulted one of Helen’s colleagues some months earlier and had been involved in four other incidents at the station. Helen was extremely distressed and shaken by her experience. “I was really upset that this man had done this to me for no reason. I could feel tears in my eyes with the distress of it all but was trying hard to keep them back because I didn’t want him to see that he’d got to me. “I was also angry with myself for being off-guard enough to let him do that to me. But you really don’t expect it at 7.30am on a Sunday morning. On a Friday or Saturday night, yes, when there are too many people about with too much drink inside them.” Helen has seen the man on the station since the assault, which made her very wary. “I felt very uneasy,” she says. “I didn’t feel safe and was worried that he’d recognise me and try to do it again.” But day to day, her worst fears are when she’s on a Friday or Saturday night shift. “I dread them,” she says. “On those nights, the end of my shift can’t come fast enough. It’s always the same - so many incidents are drink related. It’s really intimidating. Overall my job means so much to me, which is why I put up with it. But I shouldn’t have to.”