A schoolgirl was left in tears after being fined over £100 for buying a child's train ticket. Inspectors on the carriage accused Leila Sanger, then 14, of lying about her age - despite her wearing her school uniform.
Leila's mother, Naomi Sanger, claimed the inspectors "gaslighted" her daughter and alleges they "invaded her privacy" by looking through the schoolgirl's phone messages when Naomi was unable to answer a call. Top news stories today "They were gaslighting her, stating she had said she was 15 previously, which she hadn't. She was shaken up and in tears when she came home."
"Leila was wearing school ID that said she was in Year 9, which should have told them she was only 13 or 14. Now she's been left afraid to travel by train." Siobhan Bradshaw, the general manager for enforcement at Southeastern, confirmed the fine had been quashed but suggested a school lanyard and Southeastern ID card were insufficient proof of age.