to make complaint about ticket inspector who detained child and took their phone?

[SmellsLikeTeenSpirits]

15 yo DD bought wrong train ticket today. She got off at stop after the one she'd bought ticket for because of a last minute change of plan with her friends. So a £2.70 journey rather than a £3 one.

At the final destination her and her friend were stopped by ticket inspector. They tried to explain what had happened and pay the excess. He wasn't having any of it. I can kind of sympathise with that.

What I would like your view on / experience of is this:

He detained them for 20 minutes. DD called me and was a bit shaken. I heard him say - you can't talk to your mum now - and then her phone went off. I tried calling and she messaged saying she'd call back in 5. He took her phone off her and went through her apps to try and prove she was over 15 (she looks 16 maybe - no older). In the end he accepted that she was in fact 15 and has written on the fine notice that he verified her age through her Vinted app. DD said she felt really uncomfortable as he went through her vinted page (where she is modelling some crop tops etc) and scrolled through the pictures. I got through to her again on the phone and asked her to put him on the phone but he refused.

Eventually he gave her a fine of £52 and let her go on her way.

Is this acceptable? Am I being unreasonable if I complain. I don't feel that an adult man should be detaining 15 year olds and confiscating their phones? She had the wrong ticket - just issue the fine if you need to?? Or am i being unreasonable - not having correct ticket is a crime - suck it up - the guy was just doing his job?

but it’s really frightening to have an aggressive man having a go at you.
Some posters think it's fantastic and the OP's daughter deserved it.

Well this would be the tabloid version of the story for sure 😆.

Appeal the fine.

Report him.

Also don't most trainlines now hold policies for vulnerable people that allow free travel. I don't know the name as I don't use trains but its along the lines of Ask for Angela (pub harassment) or Ask for Henry (free food) because I remember the adverts when it started. I'm sure bosses would not be happy about someone in their employ harassing a child/girl over 30p given that they are suppose to protect them from that.

@faceid81 why do you need to know what someone’s DH thinks? Are you one of those who thinks a man’s view must be more valid?

Absolutely no reason to think OP’s daughter is lying.

Think there are some pork pies being told here. Why would a ticket inspector ramdomly check Vinted for age verfication? And take the phone from your daughter who then claims there were pictures of her with little on?

Do you really believe all of this because your daughter told you this and of course teens are never economical with the truth are they? I would be careful about make accusations about this man otherwise you might find yourself looking rather foolish.

Report. I reported an overzealous train manager who took his bad day out on the (late) train. I got a very good reply.

Ignore the strange angry responses here saying your child is a liar etc.

Yes I know. It’s disgusting (edit - referring to his behaviour). My dd has just turned 16. She’d be very scared.

I don't know why the usual suspects are having a dig at you Op. Of course you're not being unreasonable and should raise a complaint.

Please report him! Male, female, adult, whatever - in this situation, no one should have their phone taken off them and gone though. Massive invasion of privacy and unlawful. Report to the police as well as rail company.

Please report this man's completely inappropriate power trip at the expense of a young girl!

I suggest you post what happened on here

https://www.railforums.co.uk/forums/disputes-prosecutions.152/

Well worth a scan though too.

I doubt most train inspectors even know what vinted is, let alone try and use it for age verification.

I wouldn't 'drive over' myself.

To complain that they stopped a fare dodger, that they issued a fine, that they treated her like an adult until she could prove she was 15, that he looked at the app she showed him?

Just feels like middle class 'how dare you stop someone like us' to me.

I'm sure it was unpleasant and she was worried, that his brusque manner was different to what she's used to at home or at school, but lesson learnt really - get off at the stop you paid to get off at.

Yeah I’m not sure about this either, how did he get her phone and also access it, I’m really struggling to believe he took it against her will, gained access and then found her vinted , he was so clued up and could then use it to verify her age, sounds to me like she used it to verify her age to reduce the fine.

This is the bit that doesn't quite ring true for me. DD must have offered her Vinted account for age verification, otherwise why on earth would anyone think of looking for that?

Anyway, yes report if you think it's as you say, I'm sure they do go for the easy targets and his bodycam will soon clarify things.

Does DD want you to report?

I'm also not sure that you've spoken to the parents of a whole load of 15yos, if I'm honest. I mean, who even knows all the parents of their 15yo's crowd?

God, complain. Horrible thing to happen.

Your daughter is unfortunately most likely going to experience aggressive men over using their position of power. Perfect opportunity to show her early on that the world has changed and she doesn't have to put up with this shit anymore.

Short faring is a massive problem for the train companies, and for anyone who uses trains.

And everyone says it was first time, genuine reason, I'm under 16.

She proved her age and got away with a fine, as per policy.

From what I’ve read on other forums including a rail one , these ticket inspectors seem to pick on a particular type of person- young people and young females.

I bet if you’re daughter was a male with a hoodie or a boisterous tattooed bloke he wouldn’t have said anything.

I understand ticket inspectors have a job to do but surely a level of common sense is needed?

Absolutely. 30p short for £50 fine!!!! Wow

He bullied a vulnerable female child.. he wouldn’t have done it to a drunk or mouthy bloke. He picked on an easy target

You don't state whether this is tfl or private company, the bylaws are different, although I doubt that it makes a big difference here.

Travelling without a valid ticket is NOT an arrestable offence. Ones only obligation is to provide a name and address. There is no obligation to carry ID in the UK, or to provide to ticket inspectors.

By the account given, the guy here has committed multiple criminal offences such as illegal detention and an attempt extract money through use of menaces. I would look up all the legalities of this, or seek legal advice, and throw the book at the rail operator.

first part - fine, she had the wrong ticket and he should have issued the fine.

All the rest of what he did, including taking her phone off her is absolutely inappropriate and i would be complaining to the police, rather than the rail company. (or as well as)

How can it be a breach of GDPR speaking to the parent on the phone when it's perfectly permissable to verbally give permission to customer service representatives to communicate with a third party on one's own behalf as an adult? See also in any official situation involving a child legally they need someone with parental responsibility to be informed or with them, or if not available someone like a SW.