Karen Bailey gets good behaviour bond, avoids recorded conviction after racist train rant

Updated

A woman who was caught on camera racially abusing a passenger on a packed train has been given a 12-month good behaviour bond with no conviction recorded.

Karen Bailey, 55, pleaded guilty to offensive behaviour for the abuse on a peak hour train from Sydney to Newcastle earlier last month.

A passenger filmed her abusing other commuters, including making racist remarks to an Asian woman, and posted the video online.

In Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan noted Bailey's character references and that several people had said they had never seen her display a racist nature before.

Bailey told the magistrate she was appalled at her behaviour.

"Yes, well it does seem out of character," Magistrate O'Sullivan said.

She said the behaviour was "completely unacceptable", but she noted Bailey was remorseful and had no criminal record.

The magistrate also took into account Bailey's feelings of stress about failing to secure a job she had applied for and having responsibility for looking after her husband and father.

The court also heard Bailey was suffering knee pain caused by osteoarthritis.

In the recording, filmed between Central and Strathfield train stations in Sydney, Bailey abused a man and woman sitting together.

"Can't you get an Aussie girlfriend?... Is it really that small you can't get an Aussie girl?" she said.

"What's wrong with Hong Kong? Why'd you come to this country? This is our country."

Bailey also mocked the Asian passenger's accent and pulled at her eyes in a racist gesture.

"I'm actually married. I'm not with her," the man replied.

Bailey also verbally abused children who had not given up their seats for her.

Topics: courts-and-trials, sydney-2000, newcastle-2300

First posted