Shropshire Star

Dark Lord of the Sith had no train ticket

Star Wars' Darth Vader is more at home on the Death Star, or attacking the Rebel Alliance in his TIE Fighter. The last place you would expect to find him is on a train in the West Midlands.

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Star Wars' Darth Vader is more at home on the Death Star, or attacking the Rebel Alliance in his TIE Fighter.

The last place you would expect to find him is on a train in the West Midlands.

But in keeping with his nefarious ways, the evil right-hand-man of the Galactic Emperor failed to pay his fare.

On a recent journey on the London Midland line, Vader was caught without a ticket and prosecuted.

And now he has been named and shamed at Telford Central station which is displaying a list of people fined for fare-dodging.

Vader, who is apparently 41 and lives in Miner Street, Walsall, is listed with hundreds of passengers successfully prosecuted by London Midland.

The name and shame poster reads "evading your fare is against the law and we're cracking down on offenders.

"Our dedicated revenue protection team - often in plain clothes - are trained to find those who have deliberately avoided paying.

"As well as a fine of up to £1,000, do you really want your friends, family, and employers seeing your name on this poster?"

Mrs Premila Pencholi, of Bricharls News and Convenience Store, near to the home Vader shares with his wife Sue, said he was believed to have changed his name for charity.

"He's a gentle soul really, he's quite a nice chap," she added. "They come in once or twice a week. It's quite funny to have the leader of the Galactic Empire living around the corner."

London Midland operates trains in the heart of England, connecting London, the Midlands and the North West.

Spokeswoman Karen Blanchett said: "Rules are in place for everyone to abide by and those who fail to do so run the risk of being prosecuted."

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