Teenage girl jailed after attack on London Tube worker left his eye hanging out

A teenage girl has been jailed for 18 months after she punched a Transport for London (TfL) worker in the face, leaving part of his eye hanging from its socket.

Tashanna Mauge, 18, assaulted Akinyika Oyedapo at Denmark Hill station in April when she was stopped going through the ticket barriers without paying, the Metro reported.

A court heard how witnesses heard a "loud cracking sound" as she punched him in the eye for simply doing his job, leaving his eye lens hanging out.

Oyedapo has since been unable to return to work, with him struggling to watch TV or even go outside when it's bright.

Blackfriars Crown Court heard the doctor who treated the victim said it was the "worst injury he had seen".

Describing the attack, prosecutor Patricia Deighan told the court: "[Mauge] tried to snatch the keys from Mr Oyedapo's hand, he managed to hold onto them and she punched him in the eye.

"A witness heard a loud cracking sound as the defendant's fist hit Mr Oyedapo. He lashed out at her and seems to have struck her in the face or chest."

In a victim impact statement, Oyedapo said he "had never experienced such pain in his life".

Mauge, from West Norwood, admitted grievous bodily harm and was sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders' institution.

Judge Rajeev Shetty told her: "This is, as you realise, a really nasty case and sadly in this day and age the victim was probably all too used to abusive travellers.

"The conversation between you and him resulted in him becoming particularly upset and why shouldn't he be – he was really trying to do nothing more than his job.

"You decided to punch him, it was a hard punch, I appreciate that you didn't know that he previously had had eye surgery beforehand but the effect on him has been devastating. The lens of his eye was hanging out, it was barely attached."