YouTuber Harris Ahmed has been found guilty of “train-surfing” on the Docklands Light Railway in February and March 2017.
18-year-old vlogger Harris Ahmed posted a six-minute video of himself and a 16-year-old (who cannot be named for legal reasons) hanging off the outside of a carriage to YouTube.
The video featured the teens waving at passengers whilst hanging off a moving DLR train for several stops. It was among several videos on Harris’s channel featuring similar stunts on the London transport system.
Steve Burton, director of enforcement at Transport for London, condemned the behaviour of the two teenagers. “This behaviour is extremely reckless and will not be tolerated,” he said.
When the teenagers were caught and arrested, Harris admitted he did not realise it was against the law and added: “That’s what we do.”
The Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court heard that the stunt was primarily carried out for publicity, and the 16-year-old did not “consider it to be dangerous”.
Magistrate Sharon Ereira told Harris: “You have got to understand you’re not just putting your life at risk but putting others at risk, and when you’re putting it on YouTube you’re encouraging other young people which is also putting them at risk.”
Each of the teens was ordered to pay £105 in surcharge and court costs.
Harris has since uploaded a video in which he mentions the court case, and says: “I’ve been running around reckless for way to long, and I should have known when to stop.”
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