Two arrested in hate crime crackdown

6:47pm Wednesday 21st May 2008

Two men were arrested today in relation to hate crime incidents committed at South Croydon and Putney train stations.

Both offences took place this year and involved members of rail staff being targeted with racial abuse.

A 59-year-old man from Fulham was arrested at his home address in relation to two incidents of racially aggravated harassment at Putney train station in January this year.

The other man, a 42-year-old, was arrested at an address in South Croydon following an offence at South Croydon railway station on April 29, where a woman was racially abused.

He has been bailed until June 6 pending further inquiries.

Detective Constable David Peek, from the British Transport Police, said: "Hate crime is a particularly insidious offence. We take seriously any reports from members of the public or members or rail staff who are targeted verbally or physically based on their ethnicity, sexuality or religion."

He added that the arrests should serve as a warning to people using the railways that hate crime will be thoroughly investigated and will not be tolerated.

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