A 14-year-old schoolgirl has been left afraid to travel by train after ticket inspectors slapped her with a fine after accusing her of lying about her age.

Year 9 Leila Sanger says she was in her uniform with a student lanyard and had with her a Southeastern ID card.

Leila regularly uses the train to travel from her home at Holborough Lakes in Snodland, to Mayfield Grammar School in Gravesend.

On Thursday of last week (May 25), she was challenged by two male ticket inspectors as she changed trains at Strood.

The inspectors would not believe her when she said she was 14, and so entitled to a child's fare, and they insisted she looked older.

Her mother Naomi Sanger said: "She was in school uniform and was wearing a student lanyard and possessed a southeastern ID card.

"Two male officers told her she was a liar, issued her with a £104.40 penalty charge notice and then proceeded to demand to go through her mobile phone to contact me.

"She tried calling me, but I couldn't answer as I was in a meeting.”

"So instead they scrolled through her phone looking at her messages – invading her privacy.

"They were gas-lighting her, stating that she had said she was 15 previously, which she hadn't. She was shaken up and in tears when she came home."

The next day, Leila was too fearful of meeting the men again and wouldn't use the train to go to school.

Mrs Sanger said: "I ended up taking time off work to take her to and from school."

Mrs Sanger has complained to Southeastern and has had the fine cancelled but received no apology for the way her daughter was treated or assurance that the inspectors would not behave in a similar fashion again.

She said: "Leila does look older than her age, a lot of girls do these days.

"But there is a way of asking her age, and even issuing a fine if they still didn't believe her, that does not involve this level of intimidation.

"Leila was wearing school ID that said she was in Year 9, which should have told them she was only 13 or 14.

"Now she's been left afraid to travel by train and I'm not sure how I will get her to school now.”

Siobhan Bradshaw is the general manager for enforcement at Southeastern.

We do expect colleagues to be professional and courteous at all times.

She said: “We can confirm a penalty fare was cancelled, but we do not routinely comment on ongoing investigations.”

“We do expect colleagues to be professional and courteous at all times.

“But we also believe it’s reasonable to ask for proof of age if a younger customer looks older than 15 and asks for a child fare.

“On occasions when they’re unable to provide this, they may be liable to pay the adult fare.

“To avoid any unnecessary confusion, we’d recommend carrying an official proof of age such as a Citizen Card or a Validate UK Card.”