Four weeks jail for West Ham man who spat at Tube worker

Luke Jacobs Sunday, July 1, 2012
5:00 PM

An abusive Tube traveller from West Ham who spat at a London Underground worker was caught by his own DNA.

Lukasz Rytel, 24, was seen on CCTV by staff arguing with two other men at Mile End station at about 11pm on February 28.

Shortly after attending the scene, the workers were greeted by a tirade of abuse.

Unemployed Rytel, of Richford Road, pleaded guilty at Thames Magistrates’ Court in Bow to common assault after spitting at one of the staff members.

He was jailed for four weeks.

The court heard Rytel, who had been drinking heavily, became involved in a confrontation with the men on a train. The three alighted at Mile End where the argument continued.

While in the ticket hall, he spat twice at one of the workers, with the first missing the desired target before the second made contact with his uniform.

Rytel then ran out of the station and could not be located by British Transport Police (BTP) officers.

But a sample of the spittle was preserved through a DNA spit kit and this was subsequently sent off for forensic analysis where a match was found.

BTP officers visited an address in east London but Rytel had moved.

However, further intelligence led the officers to Richford Road, where he was eventually arrested and charged at BTP’s West Ham station.

Speaking after the sentencing on May 22, Aidan Harris, from London Underground, said: “This conviction based on DNA evidence of the assailant shows how invaluable the DNA spit kits are.

“This was an unwarranted reaction to the station staff who were attempting to resolve a situation peacefully.

“Our staff have the right to work without fear of being physically or verbally assaulted.”

BTP Det Con Tony Manzo, added: “This was a completely unprovoked attack that saw a member of staff not only verbally abused, but spat on.

“Ironically, however, it was this degrading act that led to Rytel being identified.”