Peter Corley, 62, was working as a train conductor on a Northern Trains service when he was punched in the mouth by a passenger who had no ticket
A Northern train conductor had a tooth knocked out after being punched in the face by a passenger travelling without a ticket.
Peter Corley, 62, had instructed Finley Seggie, 21, to get off from the York-bound service from Leeds at the following station after he and a companion were unable to produce valid tickets. Seggie hurled verbal abuse at Peter before advancing towards him and punching him in the mouth on December 14, 2024.
Peter lost his top-right incisor, needed £3,000 worth of dental work covered by Northern Trains, and ultimately had to leave his job due to mental health difficulties stemming from the attack.
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He said: “It was very shocking. It was a very hard punch. I’m sure he’s done some boxing training, but he hasn’t learned the responsibility that goes with it.
“As a ticket inspector you know there are 2%of passengers who would deck you, but I really didn’t see it coming. I saw him walking towards me with a crooked unpleasant grin on his face, then it all happened so fast.”
“I just remember watching my tooth fly out of my mouth. It happened so fast I had real difficulty processing it.”
The grandfather-of-one, from York, had stepped down from West Yorkshire Police as a custody inspector in 2015 before taking up a role with Northern Trains in 2018, reports Yorkshire Live.
His voice was even featured in the automated announcements broadcast across the network.
Peter described the train as having a good “pre-Christmas vibe” before asking Seggie and his friend for their tickets. After being told they had none, Seggie verbally abused Peter, who then asked them to leave at East Garforth, the next station.
Peter, who shared the story on Talk to The Press, said: “He grinned, then punched me, I fell back, and he ran. My glasses flew off, and as I bent to pick them up my knees just went from under me. People on the train were very shocked. I was covered in blood.”
A passenger helped Peter and called police. He conducted the remainder of the journey to York before meeting British Transport Police and travelling to York Royal Infirmary.
Seggie was identified from CCTV and arrested in February before pleading guilty to ABH. He was handed a 16-month suspended sentence at Leeds Crown Court on May 5. He had claimed the punch was in self-defence but later admitted the charge.
Peter, who now works as a supermarket customer team member and delivery driver, said he bears no grudge towards Seggie.
He said: “Most people operating outside the law are perfectly ordinary good people, who, for a variety of reasons, have chosen a wrong path. I bear no grudge towards him. I am satisfied with the outcome, but I would have preferred to meet him face to face as restorative justice, to look him in the eye and ask why he did this.”
He added: “They were a very kind and responsible employer. I really miss that job. Being a ticket inspector is a very difficult job – there’s a lot to do and you’re really focussed on helping people.”
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