Home Columnists Matt Howarth's Column Internet hit “Big Man” who threw fare dodger off train gets CHARGED!

Internet hit “Big Man” who threw fare dodger off train gets CHARGED!

 

Internet sensation chargedQUICK DISCLAIMER: All views & OPINIONS expressed in Matt's Column are his own and the topics are that of his own choice. Comments are welcome below, however please make them relevant to the topic only
Alan Pollock has been nothing other than an Internet sensation over the past couple of weeks after his courageous actions of throwing off fare dodger Sam Main from a train on the Edinburgh to Perth service. Mr Pollock’s actions were captured on a mobile phone video camera and posted online, since being uploaded it has received over 2 million hits.
Alan Pollock intervened when Sam Main was arguing with a ticket collector after it was stated that he didn’t have a valid ticket. Mr Main proceeded by launching a tirade of abuse at the ticket collector and refused to move, thus prompting the ticket collector to say:

"Off now. Off. I'll sit here all night pal, I'm getting paid for this. But these folk [fellow passengers] will start moaning, not to me but to you.
'Why should they pay and you not. Get off.


Main, 19, has been reported to the Procurator Fiscal for a breach of the peace and trespass owing to his actions however it seemed he was unwilling to move and cooperate.
Mr Main then stated that he HAD paid for the ticket of which the inspector replies:

'You've not paid at all. 'You've bought a single from Polmont to Edinburgh Park. And you needn't bother swearing.'

Sam Main started to then be verbally abusive to the inspector and when it looked like this was set to go on all night, Alan Pollock stood from his seat and asked the inspector: 'Do you want me to get him off for you?', the guard replies: 'Yes.'

Pollock is then shown forcing Main along the carriage, past young children before appearing to throw him out of the train on to the platform. Another passenger tosses Main's bag after him.
Main attempts to re-board, saying he's 'left stuff on the train', but he is restrained and thrown back on to the platform.

The video has somewhat divided opinion between people, some claiming he was assaulted and some claiming Mr Pollock was in the right. Since the events, Mr Main has had numerous media interviews.
Speaking to Radio Scotland last week on a Phone-in, Mr Main, who is diabetic said that he was 'quite clearly assaulted'.

He said the incident escalated before fellow passenger Pollock grabbed him from behind and 'chucked' him off the train. He said he tried to re-board the train to retrieve his bag, which he said contained 'my phone, all my notes for my exams that I'm sitting and I had a set of headphones in there as well that were quite expensive'.
He said he did not condone swearing to the conductor, but insisted there were reasons for his behaviour.
He said he felt there was no justification for Pollock's actions.

'I'm diabetic and I had been out.' he said.
'I left the house at 7.30 in the morning and I'd only had my breakfast that day, and I hadn't slept the night before because I'd been studying for an exam.
'There are a number of factors that contributed to my mind state and perhaps had an adverse affect on my mood and my mannerisms at that time.
'I don't condone the way I spoke to the conductor, but still there's no way that anybody possibly who has seen the video can condone the way Alan Pollock chose to handle the situation.
'I had been drinking before I got on the train. I wasn't drunk.'

It has now been revealed that Mr Pollock has been CHARGED with assault!

British Transport Police said this week:

'We now confirm that a 35-year-old man from Stirling and a 19-year-old man from Falkirk are the subject of a report to the local Procurator Fiscal in connection with an incident on-board the 21:33 Edinburgh Waverley to Perth service, at Linlithgow on Friday 9 December 2011.'
It is understood that Pollock, a performance manager with asset management company BlackRock, who lives in Stirling's Riverside district, has been charged by police with assaulting Main.

I think it is appropriate for me to state that I shall not be remaining impartial about my thoughts on this situation, of which I can do as it is my opinion within my column and I have not produced the article. I say that owing to the fact that never have I been so entirely outraged by a story. To arrest and charge Mr Pollock is nothing other than outrageous.sam main

Quite frankly in my opinion he needs commending, the “big guy” has done good! If I was there I would have probably assisted and would have been quite happy to suffer any following consequences. For Mr Main to behave in such an immature, childish and have such a disrespectful and revolting attitude proves that he is nothing other than a vile, manipulative and rather nasty little piece of work. How can this idiotic individual be a university student? Seemingly if universities let the likes of Sam Main into their establishments then I clearly made the right decision in not bother going to one! Sam Main is now posing as the victim and doing photo shoots for newspapers and playing the puppy eyed victim. At the end of the day he clearly attempted to avoid paying for his rail ticket and it is transparently obvious to anybody with active brain cells that he certainly DIDN’T have a valid ticket. Not only is Sam Main  searching for as much publicity as possible but so is his family! His rather dim father has been present in most newspapers this week claiming that Mr Pollock should be arrested! Of course he is hasn’t unfortunately realised that his son is transparently in the wrong.
Yes, Mr Pollock may have been heavy handed, yet he got applauded by the entire carriage because he had the confidence to do what realistically everybody would have done! What has him being diabetic got to do with anything? Publicity! For us to feel sorry for him and to even further make him out to be the victim. If he is struggling with his illness then he shouldn’t be bloody drinking, get a grip! The case is still on-going legally, thus not much more can be said, however I am sick of badly behaved youths playing the system to their advantage to make them look the better person. He didn’t want to pay for his ticket and if Mr Pollock hadn’t have stepped in then it would have been a very long night. Action needed to be took as he was in an abusive drunken state and who knows what could have happened! I would have him banned from trains for life I’m afraid and I jolly well hope that ticket inspector is setting the record straight. These types of people are dangerous and simply vile. Another representation of nothing other than an abusive, drunken lout.
If any forms of petitions against Mr Pollock’s arresting are made available then I shall be the first one to sign... such a shame judges cannot clamp down on ghastly little people who seem to be on the increase of hurting and abusing animals along with other forms of illegal behaviour, rather than wasting time with somebody who effectively did all those commuters in Scotland a jolly good favour... justice!

 

If you haven't yet seen the footage which has become a top rated internet video... then you can do so HERE

Comments

 

Related Stories

Forum Latest

No posts to display.