Sacked Paul, 44, is set to lose his home as he cannot pay the mortgage and will be hauled before a court this week charged with threatening behaviour. Yet the boozy thug who rampaged through his station got off with a paltry £80 fine - despite admitting he was entirely to blame.

The fiasco has incensed law-abiding Brits fed up with being cowed by marauding louts.

Many have even backed train strikes held to demand justice for the public-spirited railman.

His wife Maria, 41, of Brightlingsea, Essex, fumed: "Our lives have been ruined by this.

"Paul was doing his job and helping to protect passengers. It's a farce. He didn't attack the man."

The selfless dad of three, who spent 14 years in the Army, refused to stand idly by as the hooligan intimidated commuters and staff in Colchester, Essex.

The fare-dodger vaulted a ticket barrier, abused employees and further brazenly defied the law by smoking on a waiting train.

When a supervisor tried to get him to leave, he violently grabbed him, threatened to batter other staff with a broom and sneeringly told a commuter he would thump him.

Paul led passengers to safety and challenged the yob but was knocked to the ground, with the man looming over him. As Paul got up, their heads collided.

Despite Paul's bravery, bigwigs at train firm One axed him after claiming CCTV showed he headbutted the man. Police quizzed and charged him - while the hooligan merely got an £80 smoking fine.

The RMT union has held two strikes over the incident in June, supported by the public. Derek Monnery, of the Essex Rail Users' Federation passenger group, said: "Managers have to ask why the strikes were so strongly backed."

One passenger said: "It's a shabby way to treat someone doing his duty." The RMT added: "We've had many messages of support.

"One commuter said he'd never supported the union in his life but was 100 per cent behind us now."

Even the thug admitted he was at fault and backed the guard. An RMT insider said: "He returned to the station, made clear he was to blame and did not feel action should be taken against Paul."

But bosses at One defended the sacking and claimed they had addressed the union's concerns.

See also:

Rail guard bravely defends commuters from a violent yob - and gets sacked for it

Daily Mail: 21st August 2007

Sacked: Rail guard Paul Yarwood has been forced to put his house up for sale after being sacked for tackling a violent fare dodger

A rail guard has been fired for defending commuters from a violent fare dodger.

Paul Yarwood, 44, came to the rescue after a drunken passenger abused travellers and threatened staff with a broom at Colchester station.

But bosses at rail company One Railway sacked him for gross misconduct, claiming CCTV showed him headbutting the man.

His dismissal comes despite an admission by the fare dodger that he was entirely to blame.

The father-of-three, who has not worked since the incident, will appear before a court on Thursday accused of threatening behaviour.

Today his wife, Maria, 41, said the family have been forced to put their house up for sale after being unable to pay the mortgage.

She told the Daily Mirror: "Our lives have been ruined by this and it has been hanging over our heads for months. Paul was just doing his job and helping to protect his passengers.

"It's a farce. He's shattered by this. He didn't attack this man, even though he could have claimed it was self-defence.

"The company say he should have kept his cool, but he did. It's not they who have to deal face-to-face with situations like this and put up with what staff have to."

Mrs Yarwood said her husband - a former soldier who had notched up seven years of exemplary service with One Railway - had refused to stand by when a drunken passenger threatened members of the public at the Essex station.

The man had jumped over a ticket barrier, abused station staff and illegally lit up a cigarette on a waiting train.

When a supervisor tried to persuade him to leave, he grabbed him, threatened to hit another member of staff with a broom and told a fellow traveller he would punch him. After escorting passengers to safety, Mr Yarwood confronted the man, who lunged at him and knocked him to the ground.

Onlookers described how his attacker "loomed" over Mr Yarwood as he tried to get up and how their heads had briefly touched.

One Railway sacked Mr Yarwood after claiming that six seconds of CCTV showed him headbutting the man.

Police later questioned and charged Mr Yarwood while the man was fined £80 for smoking.

Mrs Yarwood said: "They're basing their case on six seconds of CCTV while there are plenty of witnesses to tell them what did happen."

The RMT union has held two local strikes over the incident, with the support of members of the public.

Derek Monnery, head of the Essex Rail Users' Federation passenger group, said: "Managers have to ask why this strike was so strongly backed. They should have taken into account the support given to Mr Yarwood by co-workers when they took the decision to sack him."

According to a union insider, the fare dodger returned to the station shortly after the incident and admitted he was at fault.

The source said: "He gave a taped interview to the station manager in which he admitted being abusive and threatening. He made it clear he felt he was to blame for the entire incident and did not feel any action should be taken against the guard."

Bosses at One Railway have defended the sacking, claiming they have "comprehensively" addressed the RMT union's concerns.