A man repeatedly stamped on a Tube passenger’s head, chest, and back during an unprovoked attack at Victoria Underground Station. Alistair Rutherford, 45, of no fixed address, approached a man stood outside the Tube station and randomly kicked him in the face, knocking him down, on April 3 this year.
As the victim got back up, Rutherford kicked him again repeatedly in the head, chest, and back, before taking the victims’ bag from the floor as well as his headphones, which were around the victims’ neck. Rutherford legged it while the victim reported what happened to the British Transport Police (BTP), having had his headphones, which were around the victims’ neck.
Rutherford was seen a short while later walking along a foot tunnel into the station. He tried to run away but was chased by officers and was found to be in possession of the victim’s bag and headphones.
He struggled with the cops as he was arrested, headbutting one before being arrested. Rutherford pleaded guilty to robbery and assaulting an emergency service worker at Central Criminal Court on May 16, before being sentenced to three years imprisonment at Inner London Crown Court exactly one month later. He was also given a victim surcharge fee of £228.
Victim acted ‘bravely’ to mean attacker caught quickly
Detective Constable Victoria Price said: “I’m extremely pleased with the result in this case. Rutherford acted with extreme and unprovoked violence for his own personal gain, before again striking out at our officers. We do not tolerate violence of any kind on the railway network, whether it be aimed towards passengers or towards our officers as they carry out their duties.
“I want to thank the victim for bravely and quickly reporting the incident to staff, meaning officers could immediately begin to carry out a search of the area that resulted in Rutherford being identified and arrested shortly afterwards. We do not tolerate robbery on the network, and will continue to bring offenders to justice.”
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