A MAN who elbowed a fellow train passenger in the face in a train rage attack has been ordered to pay his victim more than £600 in compensation.

Brighton Magistrates’ court was shown CCTV footage of the moment Sean McCabe, 53, of St Augustine Road, Crawley, “forcefully elbowed” Andrew Holliman during a journey from East Croydon to Gatwick.

Victoria Grey, prosecuting, said the two men had boarded the train at East Croydon on November 6 last year and McCabe then assaulted Mr Holliman.

“The victim reported the matter to the police and a media appeal was launched by the British Transport Police,” she said.

The court was also shown photographs of the bruising sustained by Mr Holliman.

McCabe, a father of two, pleaded guilty to assault by beating. 

The court was told that McCabe had been travelling that day with his brother-in-law and had recently lost his mother.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Holliman said he had “never experienced anything like this” and was now “wary” of travelling by train.

He added that on the occasions when he had to do so, he would always try to find a busy carriage where there would be witnesses should a similar incident occur.

Sentencing McCabe to a 12-month community order and 40 hours’ of unpaid work, district judge Amanda Kelly described the assault as “an act of madness”.

“I accept it is completely out of character,” she said. “However, we have seen the footage. It is a serious offence. We can see you remonstrating with [the victim] and forcefully elbowing him to the face.”

District judge Kelly ordered McCabe to pay Mr Holliman £642 in compensation, in addition to a victim surcharge of £95 and costs of £85.

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