Teen '˜feared for life' after being threatened with knife on train

A teenager '˜feared for his life' after a man held a knife to his throat on a train service between Crawley and Littlehaven.
Police would like to speak to this man in connection with the incident.Police would like to speak to this man in connection with the incident.
Police would like to speak to this man in connection with the incident.

British Transport Police said the boy got on a Southern service with a group of his friends at around 2.50pm on Tuesday, February 7.

The group, travelling to Littlehaven station, sat near a man who was acting in an ‘unusual manner’.

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Officer said the man asked the boys “Do any of you have a problem with me?” After saying no, the man lunged towards the 15-year-old and held what is believed to have been a knife to his throat and taunted and threated him.

The man walked off and left the service at Horsham before joining a second train to Ockley. The boy was not hurt.

PC Mark Brookes from BTP, said: “The group of boys were incredibly frightened by this man’s threatening and violent behaviour. This unprovoked assault left the young boy fearing for his life, did you witness what happened?

“I would like to speak to the man shown in the CCTV image as he may have information which could help the investigation. Violent incidents such as this are thankfully rare, and we have a number of active enquiries in place to trace the man responsible.”

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Anyone with any information is asked to contact BTP by sending a text to 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 216 of 09/03/2017. Alternatively, you can pass information anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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