Police have finally dropped a year-long investigation into three hero passengers who tackled a man exposing himself in front of children on a train – though only because the CPS has refused to take the case forward. The Telegraph has the story.
Five members of the public removed the naked man from a busy carriage on the District Line of the London Underground in August last year.
Video posted online at the time showed the man repeatedly refusing to pull up his trousers as he shouted at those intervening to “f— off” before a scuffle broke out and he was thrown off the train at East Ham station.
After the man was arrested on the platform, and eventually detained under the Mental Health Act, British Transport Police (BTP) launched an investigation into his “assault by a number of other passengers”.
The force interviewed three men under caution and was looking to press charges.
However, the Crown Prosecution Service has refused to authorise charges after ruling there was “no realistic prospect of conviction”, the Telegraph can reveal. The case will be formally dropped and no further action taken.
Harry Miller, a former police officer, said that while the CPS had done the right thing, it was “very disturbing” that BTP thought there was a case to prosecute.
He told the Telegraph: “In any normal world, there was no possibility of a prosecution. Those three people were doing what any normal person would do in the absence of a police officer on a train.
“Yet again, the police have failed to understand what their duty is, which is to protect and serve, not to go around persecuting those who take the safety and dignity of other passengers into their own hands because the police are not present.“The police are so disassociated with the public and public sentiment but also the law. You intervene when someone is doing something as gross as exposing themselves. The public, in my view, had a duty – not just a right – to intervene in the absence of a police officer.” …
A BTP spokesman said: “In August 2025, we launched an investigation into an incident on board a District Line train at East Ham, which was well-circulated on social media.
“We interviewed three men in connection to the incident and presented a file of evidence to the CPS, who have not authorised charges.
“The other man concerned – who was suffering a significant mental health crisis at the time of the incident – remains in hospital receiving appropriate care.”
A CPS spokesman said: “After careful consideration of the available evidence in this case, we concluded there was no realistic prospect of conviction. No further action will be taken.”
Responding to criticism, Charlie Doyle, the BTP’s Assistant Chief Constable, said: “It is irresponsible to suggest that anybody has a ‘duty’ to behave like this, particularly towards an extremely vulnerable person suffering significant mental health crisis.
“While charges to CPS weren’t successful in this case, it is right that a criminal investigation took place and we will not hesitate to pursue prosecution for those who choose to act in such a way in future.”
Worth reading in full.
Discussion
Comments
This week across the site:
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to the Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
It’s clear the higher ups must be removed from their positions if the rank and file officer is to behave normally and serve the public properly!
An Assistant Chief Constable making that remark, FFS !!??!!!!???? As I wrote the other day in response to a different article, the senior ranks of Plod in this country are infested to a great extent with people who are a total waste of oxygen and have been promoted to their level of incompetence ………….. and just left there to rot the system from the inside.
This is very unfair, how do you know that the ACC isn’t an extremely vulnerable person suffering significant mental health crisis and therefore uttering the first words that came into his head?
My god, btp has a lot ton answer for if that’s their attitude.
I’d be curious to know from this Assistant Chief Constable if this “vulnerable person” was known to the BTP, if he had done this kind of thing previously and why the BTP had not taken action to protect the public?
No mention of ethnicity or nationality/immigration status. How peculiar! Picture is telling though.
How were the passengers who kicked him off the train supposed to know that the pervert was suffering from “a severe mental health crisis?” Did he have a label around his neck telling them?
Unfortunately, it seems that “mental health crisis” is now the favourite get out of jail free card deployed for all kinds of violent/sex criminals.
Exactly. How very useful for them.
““It is irresponsible to suggest that anybody has a ‘duty’ to behave like this, particularly towards an extremely vulnerable person suffering significant mental health crisis.”
So three men who are not psychiatrists – as far as we know – were supposed to have made an instant psychiatric assessment, according to the dollop that is assistant chief constable?
It’s clear who has significant mental issues.
So… the next time you se a member of the BTP getting beaten up by someone you shouldn’t intervene?
No, not if it’s Mr Doyle
Apparently not just in case the assailant has significant mental isdues.
No why would I bother. If the person the BTP is trying to detain reports you for a crime. The police will investigate and try to prosecute you. Why should I take the risk??
In The Black Book of Communism – an anthology dealing with the vast crimes of the 20th century madleft – the historian Nicolas Werth’s section is called A State Against Its People. And this is clearly the direction of the British government’s agencies.
The police are so lost it’s distressing.
They are supposed to be us, members of the public who have stepped up to protect us.
Instead they seek to protect criminals and persecute us for attempting to keep law and order in their absence.
Charlie Doyle is obviously a careerist and he’ll go far. Double down, don’t learn from the CPS response and empathise with the flasher. I suppose the irate passengers should have followed best practice diversity training and recognised, respected and valued the flashers individual characteristics and behaviour. Certainly not tackled him for getting his tackle out.
These peopld like this f@cking Doyle need to start feeling the consequences of their actions.
It’s not good enough that the machinery of the state protects them against genuine patriots.
Yet another high-ranking w***er makes himself known.