A rail passenger punched a ticket inspector in the face and threatened to push him through a window.

Transport police have issued CCTV footage of the suspect.

Officers are appealing for people who can identify the man, suspected of the attack on a train between Barnham and Chichester, to come forward.

He turned violent when he was asked his age after presenting the ticket inspector with a young person's concessionary ticket.

PC Peter Cooke said: "The member of staff was punched in the face before being followed through the carriage and threatened with having his head put through the train window.

"The member of staff was left shaken by the incident and sustained a cut to his lip."

The incident took place at 5.40pm on October 15.

The following month British Transport Police launched a high-profile campaign to target passengers who verbally or physically abuse rail workers.

The number of incidents reported in Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Kent fell by 21.9 per cent during Operation Lockstock between November and January.

Police released details of the Sussex attack after a serial offender from Croydon received an eight-month jail sentence for three assaults on staff.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Kent said a jail term for the offences showed that the courts were taking attacks on staff seriously.

He said: "BTP has been working very closely with train operators and the Crown Prosecution Service on this issue, and reducing the number of staff assaults, in particular serious staff assaults, is a key objective for us.

"Through high-profile operations across the entire network, BTP has clearly sent the message that attacking and abusing members of staff who are simply going about their jobs is unacceptable and will not be tolerated."

Anyone who can identify the man in the picture is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 405040 or the Witness Appeal Line on 020 7391 5275.

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