Law was jailed in 2002 for the manslaughter of his brother A rail passenger has been found guilty of grabbing and racially abusing a ticket inspector in Hertfordshire. Charles Law, 50, of Stratfield Road, Borehamwood, denied racially-aggravated assault at Elstree and Borehamwood station on 29 July 2009. A jury at St Albans Crown Court found him guilty and he was remanded in custody by Judge Stephen Warner on the grounds that he could reoffend. The court then heard that Law had killed his brother in 2002. 'Tirade of abuse' Judge Warner called Law "volatile" and said he was considering "a custodial sentence." During the trial the court heard Law told Hilton Materke "you are a black man and should not ask a white man for a ticket". Geoffrey Porter, prosecuting, told the jury Law was "seeking to avoid payment" when he attempted to follow other passengers through a barrier. Giving evidence, Mr Materke said: "I asked him if he had a ticket. He said 'ah yes, that's a problem.' "Then he went into a tirade of abuse at me. He said 'you are a black man and shouldn't ask a white man for a ticket'." He said he had put his hands up to stop Law going through the barrier when Law swore at him. "I was a bit upset he would not keep quiet. In the heat of the moment I said 'If you don't stop I will kill you.' "I wouldn't want to kill anybody. It was the intensity of the moment. I wanted to keep him quiet." Law denied making any attempt to leave the station and said that he did not have a ticket because he had lost his bag. "Foolishly I said: 'Negro don't touch me.' I said it twice. I did not believe he had the right to touch me," said Law Following the jury's verdict Mr Porter told the court that Law had been jailed for four years in 2002 for stabbing his brother to death. Law will be sentenced at a later date.



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