A fare-dodger from Heaton assaulted five station staff members when she was confronted for tailgating another passenger. Tequila King struck four workers and spat in the face of another when she was stopped trying to get on to a Eurostar service, at St Pancras International.
A court heard that the 23-year-old had travelled from her home in Heaton to London in order to leave the country but was seen trying to get on to a platform without a ticket and stopped, which prompted the outburst. King, of Harlow Place, was finally detained and arrested and pleaded guilty to five counts of assault by beating when she appeared in the dock in October. Her case was adjourned until this week for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.
Ian Martin, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court, said King was at St Pancras International Station on November 23 last year. He added: “The defendant has tailgated someone in the ticket-only system of the Eurostar system. When challenged by staff, she became aggressive. She has struck various members of staff, including spitting in the face of one of them.”
The court heard that King had 16 offences on her record and was last in trouble with the courts in 2021, when she was convicted of possessing a bladed article. James Rickerby, defending, said King was suffering from severe mental health difficulties at the time and was now receiving treatment. She’d also addressed her problems with alcohol and drugs.
Mr Rickerby continued: “She is remorseful and deeply sorry to the people who were just doing their job. It’s not the person she is.” King was ordered to pay the female victim she spat on £100 compensation and £50 each to the four others.