Jail for man who attacked rail passengers with biro

Witnesses described the men as making ‘blatant attempts to steal from passengers’ on a train between Tooting Bec and Clapham North Underground stations.

“When the train arrived at Clapham North, they followed a 23-year-old man and punched him in the head and face several times, leaving him with cuts and bruising,” said Detective Sergeant Tom Madden.

“Following the attack, Harris continued to offend alone. Moving to the Victoria line, he took on a new method to threaten people, using a pen to assault and threaten people on at least three separate occasions.”

Harris and Spink’s tactics were thuggish and predatory; solely targeting those they assumed wouldn’t retaliate.

Harris later attacked a 20-year-old man on a southbound Victoria line train as it arrived at Pimlico, wounding him in the face with the biro pen when he refused to hand over his BlackBerry.

Fifteen minutes later, Harris approached another passenger on a southbound Victoria line service between Vauxhall and Stockwell and demanded he hand over money and his mobile phone. The victim refused and Harris again attacked using a biro, causing a puncture wound and bruising to the victim’s face.

Harris has eventually located at a fast food outlet, having managed to steal a mobile phone from a man in Brixton.

Harris had previously pleaded guilty to seven counts of attempted robbery and assault, while Spink pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and affray.

Appearing for sentence at Blackfriars Crown Court on Thursday, August 16, Harris was jailed for seven years and will spend four years on licence after being released.

Spink was handed a three-and-a-half year prison sentence.

DS Madden added: “Harris and Spink’s tactics were thuggish and predatory; solely targeting those they assumed wouldn’t retaliate.

“The pair clearly thought they could get away with it but didn’t count on brave witnesses willing to testify against them, nor the excellent quality of CCTV footage catching them in the acts.”