Two teenagers who filmed themselves ‘surfing’ on a passenger train have admitted endangering safety – but claim they did not know it was illegal.
Harris Ahmed, 18, and a 16 year-old-boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, clung onto a DLR train between Limehouse and Canning Town stations in east London last March.
Ahmed also admitted two further offences of riding on top of trains on October 14 and October 20 last year when he appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court in north London.
Nichal Khosla, prosecuting, said: ‘On March 13, 2017, a video entitled “London train surfing escape” was posted on YouTube.
Two teenagers who filmed themselves ‘surfing’ on a passenger train have admitted endangering safety – but claim they did not know it was illegal
Harris Ahmed, 18, and a 16 year-old-boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, clung onto a DLR train between Limehouse and Canning Town stations in east London
‘It showed Ahmed and the youth at Shadwell station jump on to the outside section on the back of the carriage. The youth is being filmed by Ahmed.
‘The pair arrive at Limehouse station before they then jump on another train at Poplar station and travel to Canning Town where they get off.
‘On October 14 staff on the DLR reported a male train surfing and CCTV footage shows Ahmed on top of the train before he is seen running away after arriving at Poplar station.
Harris Ahmed
‘On October 20 another video called “Hanging off a train escape” was posted on YouTube showing Ahmed again on top of a DLR train before he arrives at Blackwell station.’
The court heard in interview the youth admitted ‘train surfing with excitement’ and would post the videos online ‘because that is what we do’ he said, and told officers ‘he didn’t consider it to be dangerous’.
Ahmed also admitted riding the trains in interview and confirmed he didn’t have permission to be on them.
He also said ‘he knew it was a danger to himself but not a danger to other people’ and said he didn’t know it was against the law.
The court heard the pair had previously been before the court for similar offences surfing trains in the Ilford area in October last year.
Both had been sentenced for that offence with Ahmed given 24 hours at an attendance centre and his co-defendant sentenced to a four youth referral order.
In mitigation the court heard since the sentencing that both had stopped train surfing and had complied with their sentences, with Ahmed carrying out 18 hours of attendance requirement.
The court heard in interview the youth (pictured) admitted ‘train surfing with excitement’ and would post the videos online ‘because that is what we do’
The court heard the pair had previously been before the court for similar offences surfing trains in the Ilford area in October
Sentencing Ahmed, magistrate chair Sharon Ereira told him: ‘You were not only risking your life but the other people on the train, the other passengers and the staff.
‘If anything had happened to you it could have affected them terribly.
‘By putting it on YouTube you are encouraging other young people to put their lives at risk.’
The Magistrates revoked the previous sentence served and gave him another 15 hours at he attendance centre, giving him a total of 21hours to serve.
Ahmed, of Newham, east London, was also ordered to pay £85 victim surcharge.
The sentencing of the youth was adjourned to take place at Stratford Youth Court on February 5.
Ahmed also admitted two further offences of riding on top of trains on October 14 and October 20 last year when he appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court in north London