Feet on seat girl let off without a stain on her character

By JAYA NARAIN

Last updated at 23:48 04 September 2007

A Cub Scout leader 運ぶ／漁獲高d before a 法廷，裁判所 for 残り／休憩（する）ing her feet on a train seat wept with 救済 when 治安判事s decided she had been punished enough.

Kathleen Jennings, 19, 直面するd a 最大限￡1,000 罰金 and a 犯罪の有罪の判決 which could have cost her the chance of a career as a teacher.

But the 法廷，裁判所述べるd the 起訴 by Merseyrail as "draconian" and 課すd no 刑罰，罰則 on the university student.

Scroll 負かす／撃墜する for more...

行方不明になる Jennings sobbed and hugged her parents, Tony and Susan, as she was given an 絶対の発射する／解雇する, which means she will have no 罰金 to 支払う／賃金 and no 有罪の判決 against her 指名する.

治安判事 Christine Abrams said: "The （法廷の）裁判 is 部隊d in feeling while this may have been contrary to a bylaw, Merseyrail should have a いっそう少なく draconian method for 取引，協定ing with 事柄s of this nature.

"A 直す／買収する，八百長をするd-刑罰，罰則 system may be more appropriate."

As the Daily Mail 報告（する）／憶測d, the ordeal for the undergraduate from Oldham began when she and her boyfriend, 示す Dowling, 22, were travelling on a train to Chester in June.

行方不明になる Jennings, a volunteer 労働者 for children with special needs, 残り／休憩（する）d her flip-flops on the seat opposite.

She was すぐに approached by a Merseyrail 施行 officer wearing a 長，率いる camera. "He said, 'Are you comfortable,'" said 行方不明になる Jennings.

"I said sorry and moved my feet 支援する to the 床に打ち倒す. Then he said he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to see me when I got off the train."

The officer took 負かす／撃墜する行方不明になる Jennings's 演説（する）／住所, phone number, 占領／職業 and a description of what she was wearing.

The Manchester University maths student received a 召喚するs to 直面する Chester 治安判事s （刑事）被告 of "wilfully 干渉するing with the 慰安 or convenience" of other 乗客s.

She pleaded 有罪の but Irwin Bamforth, defending, said: "I have to say that the general 合意 is this is ludicrous.

"All it would have taken was for the gentleman to say, "Please take your feet 負かす／撃墜する".

"She took her feet 負かす／撃墜する and that should have been the end of it.

"To be punishing a 約束ing young maths student with no 前科s, and she could 結局最後にはーなる with a 犯罪の有罪の判決, is crazy. There is no other word for it."

After the 審理，公聴会行方不明になる Jennings said: "I am really relieved. This has been a very difficult time for me.

"I regretted what I did but I would not have minded an その場で／直ちに罰金. I hope they will 的 proper 犯罪のs, not someone like me."

Her father 追加するd: "It is ridiculous - they just 選ぶ on the 平易な的s.

"If it was a 6ft yob he would not have been here today.

"I'm relieved somebody had a bit of ありふれた sense."

Merseyrail has a 無寛容政策に向かって feet on seats and has made 250 起訴s since February.

A company 広報担当者 said the "feet up" 政策 had been 広範囲にわたって publicised through 調印するs and loudspeaker 告示s.

施行 officers use CCTV "長，率いる（機の）カムs" to 供給する証拠 for 起訴s.

A 広報担当者 said: "We do not regard our （選挙などの）運動をする as draconian.

"We are 答える／応じるing to the 需要・要求するs of 乗客s who don't want to sit on a seat covered in mud or dirt, and the （選挙などの）運動をする has received 普及した messages of support from 乗客s throughout the country.

"A その上の 600 people are 予定 in 法廷，裁判所 over the next few months. Doing nothing is not an 選択 for us."