UK: Racist Tube rant woman jailed

[John Ashworth]

Racist Tube rant woman Jacqueline Woodhouse jailed

BBC 29 May 2012 Last updated at 13:11 GMT

A London Underground passenger has been jailed for 21 weeks after she admitted hurling racist abuse at fellow passengers.

Jacqueline Woodhouse, 42, of Romford, east London, directed an expletive-ridden rant at Tube passengers on the Central line on 23 January.

A seven-minute video of the verbal assault was uploaded to YouTube.

She received a 21-week prison sentence and a five-year Asbo at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Woodhouse admitted racially aggravated intentional harassment, at the court, earlier in May.

The prosecution offered no evidence on a separate charge of racially aggravated common assault.

'Sense of shame'

The court heard she stumbled over a black woman named Judy Russell as she boarded the carriage and proceeded to hurl insults, shouting: "You Africans take our council flats."

The video shows Galbant Juttla, who filmed the incident on his mobile phone, telling Woodhouse to keep her mouth shut and that she had had too much to drink.

"It's not your country anyway so what's your problem?" she said.

"It's been overtaken by people like you."

In further remarks, on a packed train between St Paul's and Mile End stations, she told passengers: "I'll have you arrested because you don't live here" and "I hope you are not claiming benefits."

The video of the verbal assault was viewed on YouTube more than 200,000 times.

Woodhouse handed herself into police, telling officers she could not remember the comments but recognised herself in the video.

Following the hearing, Mr Juttla, of Ilford, east London, said: "I found it very distressing.

"I uploaded it [the footage] to YouTube because I thought that was the fast-track process to catching this person.

"I also needed to show the public that kind of person is out there and not to put up with this kind of behaviour.

"My kids have seen the video and they are disgusted by it."

Condemning Woodhouse's outburst, District Judge Michael Snow said: "Anyone viewing it would feel a deep sense of shame that our citizens could be subject to such behaviour who may, as a consequence, believe that it secretly represents the views of other white people.

'Grossly offensive'

"The train was packed with people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds," he added. "The people included children."

"She became loud, foul-mouthed and aggressive. She targeted her behaviour at those who weren't white.

"She threatened violence against more than one person and it took place over a prolonged period."

He added her "grossly offensive" language reflected her hostility to her fellow passengers.

The judge told Woodhouse she would serve half her prison term behind bars and imposed an order banning her from using the Tube and the Docklands Light Railway while drunk, for a five-year period.

Jacqueline Woodhouse jailed over racist London Underground rant

By METRO NEWS REPORTER - 29th May, 2012

A drunk passenger filmed hurling racist abuse at London Underground passengers has been jailed for 21 weeks.

The video of Jacqueline Woodhouse's Central line rant went viral online and was watched more than 200,000 times after being uploaded to YouTube.

In the seven-minute video, filmed when the 42-year-old boarded a train at 11pm after a retirement party in January, Woodhouse said: 'I used to live in England and now I live in the United Nations.'

Turning to passengers on the train she continued: 'Where do you come from? Where do you come from? Where do you come from?

'All over the world, f****** jokers. F****** country's a f****** joke.'

Woodhouse, who is on benefits after losing her job as a secretary, admitted causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress to the man who filmed her on his phone, Galbant Juttla, at a hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court earlier this month.

Today, at the same court, District Judge Michael Snow told Woodhouse, from Romford, Essex, that anyone viewing the video 'would feel a deep sense of shame that our citizens could be subject to such behaviour who may, as a consequence, believe that it secretly represents the views of other white people'.

Banning her from using the London Underground or Docklands Light Railway while drunk for five years, he continued: 'The train was packed with people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.

'The people included children. She became loud, foul-mouthed and aggressive. She targeted her behaviour at those who weren't white.

'She directed it at those who were close to her, on occasions directly into their faces.

'She threatened violence against more than one person and it took place over a prolonged period.'

The judge said the 'grossly offensive' language used by Woodhouse, who was previously fined over a similar incident on the DLR, reflected her hostility.

He also rejected claims from the defence Woodhouse was 'deeply ashamed' of her actions.

'I find that assertion very difficult to believe,' he said.

'She initially pleaded not guilty. She changed her plea to guilty one day before her trial.

'By this time, she had victimised the witnesses twice over by causing them the inevitable worry of having to give evidence and coming into contact with her again.'