A MERSEYRAIL worker has spoken out about being a victim of racial abuse at work.

From Saturday, October 14 to Saturday, October 21 the British Transport Police will join organisations to stand together to reinforce National Hate Crime Awareness week.

Station assistant Sukhi has been a victim of racist abuse seven times in seven months.

Seven people have been charged with hate crime offences and are currently waiting to appear in court for abusing Sukhi.

Sukhi said: “I don’t want to be this colour sometimes. I go home and I think if I was white this wouldn’t happen to me.

“I feel that I should be rubbing this colour off sometimes it gets that bad.

“I had one incident on Father’s Day this year. Two gentlemen were coming into the station on a Sunday, they had been out for a few drinks, father and son.

“The father had a bit more than the son and was too unsteady on his feet.

“So I approached the son who was more of sound of mind – I explained that his father couldn’t travel.

“The father heard me and then started going into a fit of abuse towards me which included the words ‘you stupid p**I, you suicide bomber.

“No-one can understand what goes through you – what these people can say to you that really does hurt.

“What they don’t realise is that the police can be called, they’ll get arrested and put in the cells.

“They’ll get a criminal record. That’s your life kind of over.

“I’ve cried quite a lot over some of these incidents because I have had little flashbacks.

“The BTP have been brilliant with me, I get constant emails about where they are up to with certain court proceedings, how far it’s got to go and what evidence they need.

“We live in a world where yes, we know terrorists are about but we can’t point our finger at everyone and call them a terrorist. It doesn’t matter what colour they are. It makes no sense.

“I genuinely urge people to report incidents. It helps.

“The more we report it, the more it makes people aware that they shouldn’t be saying things but I don’t come to work to receive racial abuse.

“I just want to come to work and make sure everyone is safe and do my job.”

Throughout the week British Transport Police officers will be at stations across the country talking to passengers and rail staff about the #WeStandTogether campaign - designed to stamp out hate crime and incidents on public transport.

They will also provide practical advice on what you should do if you do become a victim or witness a hate crime.

Detective chief superintendent Paul Furnell, Head of Public Protection said: “As part of our We Stand Together campaign we are actively encouraging people to come forward to report hate crime to us.

“We want people to know there is never any excuse for these types of crime. Being victimised because of who you are or who people think you are is fundamentally wrong.

“If you are a victim of hate crime, or if you witness an incident that makes you feel uncomfortable, please do not suffer in silence – report it to us and we will do everything we can to help.”

You can call British Transport Police on 0800 405040 or text to 61016.

In an emergency call 999.