Two men verbally abused, pushed around and spat at a ticket inspector on a train in eastern Hungary. The Debrecen District Court handed down the rulings on 20 October 2026 after both men admitted their guilt and waived their right to a trial. They were convicted of violence against a person performing a public duty.
Incident began over unpaid tickets
According to the statement, one defendant received two and a half years in a high-security prison, while the other was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for a probationary period of two and a half years. The second defendant has appealed for a more lenient sentence.
The incident took place on 6 May 2025, aboard a train travelling from Debrecen to Záhony. The two men, both from Debrecen, had boarded without tickets and intended to travel to the Apafa area. After the train departed, the ticket inspector checked their tickets. The men said they had none and could not afford to pay, so the inspector instructed them to leave the train at the next stop, Debrecen-Csapókert.
They started insulting and pushing him around
When the train arrived, the inspector told the pair to follow him off the train. As they approached the carriage door, both began shouting insults at him. One man spat in the inspector’s face and angrily pushed him aside by the arm. When the inspector questioned his behaviour, the man turned back and spat on his clothing as well.
The second man also swore at the inspector and spat on his clothes. The abuse continued after both men had left the train, with the pair continuing to insult the employee on the platform until the train departed. The inspector remained on board and subsequently reported the incident to the police via the emergency call line.
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One defendant appeals
The court accepted both men’s admissions of guilt at a preliminary hearing and issued its verdict without a full evidentiary trial, in accordance with the applicable procedural rules. The prosecution and the first defendant, along with his lawyer, accepted the decision. The second defendant and his defence lawyer appealed, seeking a reduction in his sentence.
The case highlights the legal consequences of assaulting railway staff carrying out their duties. Both men were convicted in connection with their treatment of the ticket inspector, although only one has challenged the sentence.
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