Man apologises for his drunken railway behaviour
DISTURBING footage captured the moment a man drunkenly attempted to crawl under a train.
The 28-year-old appeared at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on August 30 after he was caught trespassing on the tracks at Radyr station.
When the Aberdare to Cardiff Central service approached Radyr at 3.37pm on December 11 last year, the train driver noticed a man waving his hands in the air and “acting strangely” on the island platform, said prosecutor Emma Davies.
She added: “When the train stopped at Platform Two, Mr Franklin noticed the defendant was now on the tracks. He said the male was crawling on his hands and knees and was going to crawl under the train.
“He made an emergency call to the signaller to ensure lines were stopped. He then walked to the rear of the train, spoke to the train guard and noticed the defendant was now sitting on board.”
Police officers approached the defendant, who said: “Why are you trying to speak to me? Is it because I was on the platform?”
The officers noticed he smelled strongly of alcohol and his eyes were red and glazed. “They formed the opinion he was drunk,” said Ms Davies.
The trespasser caused delays of four and a half hours at a cost of £2,447 to Network Rail. He later told police he had been drunk and could not remember what had happened. He claimed he did not know it was a criminal offence to obstruct a train.
The defendant pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place while he was under a community order for harassment. He has 11 previous offences on his record.
Representing himself, he said the trespass took place close to the anniversary of his child’s death.
“Every year since, that period has been an extremely difficult time for me,” he added. “I was going through a mental breakdown. Since then I have been working with Change Grow Live, which is an alcohol service, and I’ve been living in a dry house.
“I am still struggling with depression but I’m doing very well. I’m just getting on my feet. I can only apologise for the inconvenience I caused. I was idiotic and stupid. I was under the influence of alcohol.”
Presiding Justice Anna Middleton said she took into account the cost to Network Rail and inconvenience to the public, but also the “positive steps” taken by the defendant to address his alcohol use. Suspending a four-month jail term for 12 months, she said: “This really is your last chance ... It will be straight into prison if you do anything else.”
She also ordered the defendant to pay £500 in compensation to Network Rail, a £128 victim services surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs, which will be taken out of his Universal Credit benefits.