A man who played music out loud on his Tube journey through London has been hit with a £300 legal bill for annoying other passengers on the train.
Transport for London used a little-known byelaw to bring a criminal prosecution against Oluseun Olumide Olaifa, 31, over the incident on June 20.
Olaifa used a bluetooth speaker to blast his music on the Jubilee Line journey from Canning Town to Stratford, to the annoyance of at least one fellow passenger.
London Underground officer Razvan Lazar told Ealing magistrates court he heard music being played as Olaifa came up the escalator from the Jubilee Line platform around 7.50pm.
“I observed a male passenger who I now know to be Mr Oluseun Olumide Olaifa approaching from the direction of the Jubilee line while playing loud music through a Bluetooth speaker,” he said, in a statement.
“I approached him and identified myself and explained to him that by his actions he was now in breach of the byelaws.
“Whilst speaking to him another passenger approached me and stated he had been playing music the whole journey.”
Recalling the encounter, Mr Lazar said byelaws are used to “regulate the conduct of persons while on the TfL Network” but Olaifa appeared unaware of the rules.
“Playing loud music on your Bluetooth speaker is not aloud (sic) without written permission”, he told the Tube user.
Olaifa is said to have replied: "OK but where does it say?”
On being told he would be prosecuted, he is said to have added: "OK, please show me the byelaw.”
Olaifa, who lives in Tottenham, was taken to court by TfL and pleaded guilty, telling the court: “I apologise for such behaviour and this kind of behaviour will not repeat itself. Thank you.”
He was sentenced in a behind-closed-doors Single Justice Procedure hearing to a £40 fine, £250 in costs, and a £16 victim surcharge.
The byelaw prohibits singing or playing music on the TfL network, including buses, Tube trains, Overground and trams, unless you have written permission like approved buskers.
The behaviour can be prosecuted if it causes the “annoyance of any person”.
