A man from London has been jailed for 50 weeks after racially abusing a woman, assaulting another woman, and carrying scissors on multiple occasions on the railway network, following a British Transport Police investigation.
John Chapman, 80, and of St Martin’s Lane in the City of Westminster, pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court on 16 May 2025 to one count of racially aggravated harassment, one count of assault, and one count of possessing an offensive weapon.
He was sentenced on the same day to 50 weeks imprisonment with a £187 victim surcharge.
The court heard how on 9 August 2024, on board a train between East Croydon and Stevenage, Chapman approached a woman while holding a pair of scissors and proceeded to racially abuse her.
An hour later on the same train, Chapman shouted at a woman to remove her legs from a chair before kicking her in the ankle.
Chapman was met by officers at Stevenage railway station and arrested and was found in possession of the scissors used to threaten the first woman.
After failing to answer his bail on 6 November 2024, Chapman was spotted by an officer at Wellingborough railway station a month later on 6 December and was arrested and found to be again in possession of scissors.
Sergeant Daniel Starling said: “There is absolutely no place for violent, abusive, intimidating, or racist behaviour on the railway network. Chapman acted violently and erratically towards multiple women, so I’m extremely pleased with the result in this case.
“I want to thank the victims for their bravery in coming forward and providing us with the clear evidence we needed to secure Chapman’s conviction.”
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