Drunk caused 32 train delays after strolling onto tracks

A DRUNK caused severe disruption to train services in Birmingham city centre after downing Skol super strength lager and strolling onto the tracks, a court heard.

Train drivers were put on high alert after Abid Guled was spotted wandering on the lines near the Jewellery Quarter.

Altogether, the incident caused 237 hours of disruption to 32 trains, including one cancellation, four partial cancellations and six diversions.

Guled, 56, of Sycamore Road, Soho, admitted one charge of obstructing an engine on a railway at Birmingham Crown Court. Judge Martin Hurst sentenced him to an 18-month community order, including 20 days of rehabilitation.

He said: “You have a terrible problem with alcohol. If you continue to drink at the rate you are, you will die quite quickly either from the alcohol or from getting yourself in a dangerous situation like this.

“On June 24 at 10pm you had been drinking all day, something you do every day. You were found walking on the railway line near the Jewellery Quarter. Happily, you were seen so all of the trains were warned.

“You caused extensive delay and inconvenience to passengers – with trains having to be cancelled, terminated early or delayed.

“There would have been significant anxiety caused to drivers who worry every day they are going to hit somebody who walks onto the railway. Happily, in this situation, the driver, who was personally and directly inconvenienced, was proceeding with extreme caution.”

John O’Higgins, prosecuting, said that the train was travelling from Whitlocks End to Malvern when, as it approached a station in the city centre, the driver saw a man in the middle of the tracks. Luckily, he had already been warned of someone spotted on the line.

“He proceeded using extreme caution, he slowed down and saw a man in the middle of the down line. The man was staggering. He stopped the train. The man disappeared and then reappeared 15 minutes later banging on the cab door. The police arrived and approached the man, who was drunk, and he was arrested.

“The train track was on a curve which was a particularly dangerous place to be because of the speed trains past through. The risks to life and limb are many and obvious.”

Guled told police he was mentally ill and had recently left hospital having been hit by a truck in Somalia.

Richard Reynolds, defending, stated that Guled apologised for his actions and had sobered up since spending four months in custody after missing a previous court date.