Respec' Innit?

Kathleen Jennings

And so to the Daily Mail, which reports today on the broken windows policy that has been adopted by Merseyrail in attempting to combat anti-social behaviour on their fleet of trains, and the consequences for one Kathleen Jennings, who was summonsed to appear in Court for "wilfully interfering with the comfort or convenience" of other passengers.

Her offence? She chose to place her feet on a seat on the train.

Wails Miss Jennings: ""I am not the sort of person who would do anything wrong, I have never been in trouble before .... I do not want a criminal record."

Her father chips in: "It's ridiculous. Why couldn't a fixed-penalty notice be given? She could end up with a criminal record..... it's madness.... she is a good, considerate girl."


Yes indeed. Though clearly not considerate enough to not despoil the on-train furniture with her filthy trotters, it would make my day if this little corner of England's underclass was sent down for two weeks.

Hats off to Merseyrail says I, the only train operating business in the UK to vigorously publicise and pursue a "no-feet-on-seats" policy.


Update: the BBC are reporting that the ignorant little sow got only an absolute discharge from Chester Magistrates. No fine, no costs, no fuck-all.

Chairman of the Bench, Christine Abrams, is quoted as saying:

"The bench is united in feeling while this may have been contrary to a by-law, Merseyrail should have a less draconian method for dealing with matters of this nature."

Well damn you, damn your bench, and damn your eyes, Abrams, you politically correct coward. Do you ever travel on a train, a tram or a late night bus? Or do you, as is more likely, ensconce yourself within the safe and sterile confines of a Volvo or Saab?

You have, today, spurned the perfect opportunity to send out a wake-up call to these brattish, ill-mannered, ignorant, loutish, anti-social scum whose behaviour is endured daily by a disaffected, and frequently intimidated, British public.

And while the scum are sticking two fingers up at you, you are guilty of sticking two fingers up at us.