Woman to sue after allegedly being pinned to the ground by ticket inspectors

A childcare worker allegedly pinned to the ground and bruised by a group of “really aggressive” ticket inspectors at a train station in Melbourne’s west plans to sue the state government.

A childcare worker who was allegedly pinned to the ground and bruised by a group of “brutal” ticket inspectors at a train station in Melbourne’s west says she plans to sue the state government.

25-year-old Daphnie Palomo says she was restrained and threatened with criminal charges by ticket inspectors after she tried to catch the train at Middle Footscray station after leaving work at a nearby childcare centre on Tuesday.

Ms Palomo suffered severe bruising on her neck and arms during the incident.

Ms Palomo told the Herald Sun she was in a state of “pure fear and shock” as the officers restrained her.

Daphnie Palomo was allegedly pinned to the ground and bruised by a group of ticket inspectors at Middle Footscray train station.

“I felt like I was being treated like a criminal … All I was doing was trying to get past them,” she said.

“They were blocking me, and one officer said they had had enough and placed their hands on my shoulder and that’s when every single one of them just started putting their hands on me.

“They were yanking on my arms and holding my shoulders down and I am one small girl.

“They were grabbing on so tightly I didn’t know what was going to happen to my hands or if I would break a bone.

“It was really, really aggressive.”

Ms Palomo says she was restrained and threatened with criminal charges by ticket inspectors. Picture: Supplied

It is understood the inspectors approached Ms Palomo, who had boarded a train bound for Melbourne Central without a valid ticket because she did not have enough money to top up her Myki, about 3.30pm.

When she became overwhelmed and refused to talk to the group of officers, believed to be several men and a woman, they held her by her arms before pinning her to the ground on the platform.

“I started saying: This is not okay, stop, this hurts,” Ms Palomo said.

“I was terrified.”

“I just went blank from trauma and fear … I was just in a state of pure fear and shock.”

One officer is believed to have been scratched by Ms Palomo as they held her, but she claimed this was accidental.

The inspectors are understood to have reported the incident to police, who placed Ms Palomo in handcuffs but released her a short time later.

Ms Palomo was left with bruises after the alleged incident. Picture: Supplied

Ms Palomo said she planned to launch legal action against the state government, who oversee ticket officers on public transport.

“I am trying to get justice for what happened,” she said.

“I don’t understand on what grounds that was allowed … I was frozen in place, I just stayed quiet and did not do anything to aggravate the officers in any way or form.”

Ms Palomo’s partner Everest Gurung said she has been left bruised and was hospitalised to receive medication to manage extreme anxiety as a result of the officers’ use of “excessive force” during the public ordeal.

“They treated her like an animal,” Mr Gurung said.

“She had a lot of bruises and couldn’t walk. She felt like a criminal. She was weeping,” he said.

Witnesses slammed the officer’s conduct, which they say left Ms Palomo in tears at the busy train station for up to two hours.

“All four were yanking each of her limbs, while she was crying for them to stop,” one said on social media.

“She was so roughed up and her undergarments became exposed to everyone at the train stop, no ounce of humanity here.”

A GoFundMe fundraiser has been launched to help Ms Palomo find legal representation.

A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said: “We take the safety of passengers and staff on our public transport network very seriously.

“While the incident is under investigation it would be inappropriate to comment.”

Victoria Police have been contacted for comment.