A 14-year-old girl was hit with a £100 fine by train inspectors who accused her of lying about her age to get a cheaper ticket - despite the fact she was wearing her school uniform.
Leila Sanger was 'left in tears' following the ordeal and is now terrified of getting the train to school incase she is confronted by the two men again, the Mirror reports. The teen, who regularly uses the service to go to and from school in Gravesend, Kent, was on her way home to Snodland on May 25 when the incident took place.
While changing trains at Strood, she was approached by the rail workers who accused of her pretending to be younger in order to use a child's ticket. The guards then handed her a £104 fine - despite the fact Leila was wearing her uniform, had a student lanyard around her neck and was carrying an ID card for Southeastern Railways.
Mum Naomi Sanger, 43, said: "She was in school uniform and was wearing a student lanyard and possessed a Southeastern ID card. Two male officers told her she was a liar, issued her with a £104.40 penalty charge notice and then proceeded to demand to go through her mobile phone to contact me.
"So instead they scrolled through her phone looking at her messages - invading her privacy. They were gaslighting her, stating that she had said she was 15 previously, which she hadn't.
"She was shaken up and in tears when she came home."
The next day, Leila refused to get the train to school.
Mrs Sanger said: "I ended up taking time off work to take her to and from school."
The mum lodged a complained with the rail operator and the fine was eventually cancelled. However, she received no apology from the company over the way her daughter was treated and was not given any assurance that the inspectors would modify their behaviour.
The project planner added: "Leila does look older than her age, a lot of girls do these days. But there is a way of asking her age, and even issuing a fine if they still didn't believe her, that does not involve this level of intimidation.
"Leila was wearing school ID that said she was in Year 9, which should have told them she was only 13 or 14.
"Now she's been left afraid to travel by train and I'm not sure how I will get her to school now."
Siobhan Bradshaw, the general manager for enforcement at Southeastern, suggested that the teenager should carry proof of age in order to buy a children's ticket - and suggested that a school lanyard and Southeastern ID card was insufficient.
She said: "We can confirm a penalty fare was cancelled, but we do not routinely comment on ongoing investigations. We do expect colleagues to be professional and courteous at all times.
"But we also believe it's reasonable to ask for proof of age if a younger customer looks older than 15 and asks for a child fare. On occasions when they're unable to provide this, they may be liable to pay the adult fare.
"To avoid any unnecessary confusion, we'd recommend carrying an official proof of age such as a Citizen Card or a Validate UK Card."
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