Peter Corley, 62, lost his tooth and later his job after a ticketless passenger punched him on a Leeds to York train - the fare dodger avoid time behind bars12:22, 01 Jun 2026A train conductor was left bloodied and had a tooth knocked out when a passenger punched him in the face - simply for asking to see his ticket.‌Peter Corley, 62, asked Finley Seggie, 21, and his pal to get off at the next station after they were unable to produce valid tickets on the York-bound service. Seggie instead launched into a verbal tirade before storming towards the conductor and landing a punch square in the mouth.‌Peter lost a tooth, faced £3,000 worth of dental bills and was ultimately forced to give up his job following the attack on December 14, 2024. Seggie subsequently pleaded guilty to ABH and on May 5 and was handed a 16-month suspended sentence at Leeds Crown Court.‌Grandad-of-one Peter, from York, said: "It was very shocking. It was a very hard punch. I'm sure he's done some boxing training, but he hasn't learned the responsibility that goes with it."As a ticket inspector you know there are 2% of passengers who would deck you, but I really didn't see it coming. I saw him walking towards me with a crooked unpleasant grin on his face, then it all happened so fast. I just remember watching my tooth fly out of my mouth. It happened so fast I had real difficulty processing it."‌Peter, who served as a Lance Corporal in the army during the 1980s, had previously retired from his role as a custody inspector for West Yorkshire Police in 2015. Keen to remain active, he joined Northern Trains in 2018 - and even had his voice used for the automated announcements onboard.He had been working the afternoon Leeds to York service when the assault took place. Peter described the train as having a great "pre-Christmas vibe" before he approached Seggie and the friend to check their tickets. Seggie's friend told Peter they didn't have one, at which point Seggie started shouting.‌Peter told the pair to disembark at East Garforth, the next stop, before going to help another passenger and alerting the driver. Recounting the ordeal, Peter said: "He grinned, then punched me, I fell back, and he ran. My glasses flew off, and as I bent to pick them up my knees just went from under me. People on the train were very shocked. I was covered in blood."A fellow passenger came to Peter's aid following the attack and contacted the police. Peter completed the remainder of the journey to York, where he met British Transport Police officers before taking a taxi to York Royal Infirmary.The assault left Peter without his top-right incisor, requiring a bridge to be fitted. Northern Trains covered the £3,000 dental repair bill, he said. However, he was forced to leave the role in May 2025 due to mental-health difficulties triggered by the attack. He now works as a supermarket customer team member and delivery driver.‌He said: "They were a very kind and responsible employer. I really miss that job. Being a ticket inspector is a very difficult job - there's a lot to do and you're really focussed on helping people. Often you're there on your own dealing with all sorts of incidents, including being threatened with knives. I spent a lot of my time talking to people and explaining things, trying to make their experience a good one."People mind a lot about trains being late, but then you work for them, you become aware of all the reasons why this happens. There's a lot of good on the railways, and lots of people working really hard to make it better. It's a great career for all ages."Seggie was arrested on February 18 after being identified from CCTV footage and charged with ABH. He maintained he had hit Peter in self-defence, but subsequently admitted the charge and was sentenced in May 2026. Throughout his interview he acknowledged throwing the punch but insisted it was an act of self-defence.Article continues belowPeter said: "Most people operating outside the law are perfectly ordinary good people, who, for a variety of reasons, have chosen a wrong path. I bear no grudge towards him. I am satisfied with the outcome, but I would have preferred to meet him face to face as restorative justice, to look him in the eye and ask why he did this."