Female lout must pay rail conductor damages after telling her 'I'm going to track you down on Facebook and kill you' when she was accused of fare dodging

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A female lout has been forced to pay a rail conductor damages after threatening to track her down on Facebook and kill her when she was accused of fare dodging on a train.

Part-time DJ Jade Leech, 28, left female conductor Elle Stacie with no choice but to hide in the driver's cabin fearing for her life after she endured terrifying abuse.

Leech was simply asked to show a ticket but reacted in a vile manner as she told Miss Stacie she had made a mental note of the conductor's name for her staff ID badge.

The foul-mannered woman proceeded to shout 'I will stab you, I will kill you. I'm going to track you down on Facebook and kill you.'

Miss Stacie, who was working on a train from Liverpool South Parkway, said after the terrifying event that she had just been trying to do her job but was left 'physically shaking following the confrontation'.

'I was fearful for my safety so much that I locked myself in the cab as I was unsure if she would carry out the threat she had made towards me,' she said.

'I returned to my duties the next day and did my best to put this out of my mind but I was left emotionally exhausted. I just wanted to go home and curl up in a ball.' 

At Sefton Magistrates' Court, Leech, of Woolton, Liverpool admitted using threatening behaviour and was ordered to pay Miss Stacie £250 in compensation. 

The abusive rail passenger was also sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months with a requirement that she participate with 20 days of rehabilitation activity with the probation service.

Part-time DJ Jade Leech (pictured), 28, was ordered to pay damages to rail conductor Elle Stacie after threatening to track her down on Facebook and kill her when she was asked to show a ticket

Leech, appearing at Sefton Magistrates' Court, was also handed a 16-week suspended prison sentence after her abusive rant

Prosecutor Callum Bryce told the court that Leech has been a passenger on a train out of Liverpool around 1.50pm on January 7 when she was approached by Miss Stacie for her ticket.

He said that Miss Stacie had recognised the defendant as she had previously had dealing with her. 

'She'd not had a ticket to travel on the train. She asked to see her ticket and she said 'I'm on the phone, come back,' Mr Bryce said.

'Miss Stacie said she needed to see the ticket then said, "You have done this before."

'The defendant then said, "I remember you, you have kicked me off before." The conductor explained that she needed to see the ticket but the defendant started shouting at her, saying "You are a 'f***ing b****", "I will stab you", and "I will kill you".

The prosecutor continued to describe how Leech persisted to ask for her name before she read her name badge, Elle Stacie. 

He added: 'She said "I'm going to track you down on Facebook and kill you, that is a silly f***ing name".'

'Miss Stacie went straight to the cab. She said she was scared and frightened. She did not know if the defendant had a knife. She was unsure of what she was capable of.

'She said she was scared that if she did have a knife that she would try to kill her.

'The train driver stopped at the station and kept the doors closed so that Ms Leech could be taken off by police. The driver also said that Miss Leech was aggressive and agitated. She was shouting "If you do not open that door, I'm going to stab somebody."'

 Leech's defence lawyer said that she duffers from a personality disorder and anxiety and had actually been on the phone to a doctor at the time Miss Stacie approached her

'He was also concerned. Miss Stacie genuinely feared that she might be stabbed. Fear was also caused to the train driver. This happened on a moving train that people cannot get out of.'

Leech had 59 previous offences on her record including shoplifting, criminal damage, affray, and public order offences, and also for threatening somebody with a blade.

In mitigation defence lawyer Martin Saxon said Leech suffers from a personality disorder and anxiety and that she had been on the phone to the doctor at the time the conductor spoke to her.

'She was in a heightened emotional state and she just exploded,' the solicitor said.

'It was a very impulsive way that she acted on the train. Her mother was also very ill having been diagnosed with cancer. It all came on top of her on that day.'

Sentencing Leech, District Judge Paul Healey told her: 'It is a serious matter when there are people on the train and staff are carrying out their job to check tickets. 

'It is an enclosed environment and it was totally unacceptable that they are threatened with violence. It's frightening for them and disturbing for other passengers in the area.

The abusive rail passenger had 59 previous offences on her record including shoplifting and threatening somebody with a blade

'You have a significant record for offences of this type and you've been to prison for similar behaviour. You have extensive criminal convictions.

'I understand that around this time you were struggling to cope with difficult news regarding your mother's health. I sympathise with that. It is something that we all have to go through and it's difficult.

'But you have a significant history of disorder and threats of violence and I have to consider whether to give you an immediate term of imprisonment.

The judge proceeded to tell the court that he was 'encouraged' by the probation report which showed Leech had taken steps to address her behaviour.  

He added: 'You have personality issues, you have mental health conditions and you are cooperating with mental health services.

'You've taken steps to avoid similar situations, especially on trains.'

The judge said that he wanted to review her case in November to make sure that she was cooperating with the probation and mental health services to address her issues, otherwise she risked being sent to prison.

'If you commit any other offence in the next 12 months, you will almost inevitably go to prison,' he said.