Wanstead building site foreman faces jail for racial abuse of ticket inspector

Walter Squibb, 58, of Hermon Hill, Wanstead, accused Network Rail worker Ishwurall Rampersad of living on benefits in the torrent of abuse at Stratford International station.

Walter Squibb, 58, of Hermon Hill, Wanstead, accused Network Rail worker Ishwurall Rampersad of living on benefits in the torrent of abuse at Stratford International station.

Squibb also threatened to break the inspector’s legs if he tried to stop him forcing his way through the barriers during the incident, which was caught on CCTV.

The Tanzania-born construction worker was convicted of racially aggravated harassment after a trial at Blackfriars Crown Court today.

Squibb, who has a serious heart condition, flew into a rage when his invalid rail ticket was rejected after returning from a trip to horse racing in Kent on August 18 last year.

Mr Rampersad told the court: “He said ‘you must be living on benefits, you must have a council flat. You’ve taken all the jobs and women and you should go back to Birmingham, you must be an asylum seeker’.

“He then said ‘I’ll try and get through the gate’ and if I tried to stop him he would break my legs.

“This was the worst abuse I have ever suffered in my time at work.”

The abuse only stopped when Squibb climbed over the barrier after Mr Rampersad called senior staff to help him deal with the incident.

The defendant accused Mr Rampersad and another colleague of being racist, the court heard.

After being arrested, Squibb gave no comment during the interviews apart from to deny using any racial language.

Judge David Richardson said: “This is the sort of case for which you are liable to go to prison. It has, what we lawyers say, crossed the custody threshold.”

Sentencing has been adjourned until January 11.