DNA tests to protect train staff

The scheme will be operated with British Transport Police

A train operator is to use forensic technology to deter attacks on its staff.

Central Trains is the first such company in England to issue DNA testing kits to gather evidence of abuse.

Staff will be able to take DNA swabs of saliva if they are spat upon.

Spitting makes up a third of the assaults on Central Trains staff and the firm hopes the move will lead to more convictions.

The system has already proved successful in Scotland where two people are due in court.

Samples analysed

Staff will be issued with special kits including gloves, an evidence bag and two sterile swabs.

One will be used to take a mouth sample of the attacked person, the other for tracing the attacker.

The samples will be analysed and the British Transport Police will check the data against a national database.

The culprits can then be tracked down and arrested.

Poster campaign

Central Trains say this kind of assault is extremely traumatic for staff and they will prosecute offenders to the full ability of the law.

Les Bird from Central Trains said: "We are going to relaunch a poster campaign to include this.

"It will say that if you assault our staff in any way we will prosecute you.

"This sort of conduct is completely unacceptable and we want to eliminate it completely."