19 trains halted by man walking along main line
ADRUNK passenger caused major delays to the rail network after getting off a train and walking for miles along the tracks at night, a court has heard.
Michael David John Laming was found on the main south Wales line after police brought in a helicopter to help with the search. He had got off the train to walk back to where he had just come from in order to find his friend.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the line was closed for around 90 minutes as a result of his rail ramble, affecting a total of 19 trains amounting to a combined delay of 12 hours.
Victoria Lovett, prosecuting, said at 9pm on the night of Saturday, August 1, this year train controllers received reports of a “nearmiss” in the Magor area and a man walking along the tracks towards Newport.
The main south Wales line was shut and British Transport Police were notified.
The court heard officers went to the scene to try to locate the man and the National Police Air Service dispatched a helicopter to assist.
The barrister said 31-year-old Laming was located near the Somerton Road bridge in Newport around 10.20pm and officers escorted him off the tracks.
She said in total some 19 trains had been affected by the line closure, amounting to 712 minutes of total delays.
The cost to Network Rail was £37,067.
In his interview, Laming said he had been drinking in Newport with a friend before catching the train home.
However, during the journey, he received a phone call from the police to say his friend was unconscious and so he got off the train at the Severn Tunnel Junction stop and set off to walk along the tracks back to Newport.
Laming, of Alice
Crescent,
Thornwell, Chepstow, admitted causing an obstruction to an engine or carriage using the railways. He has no previous convictions.
The court heard there are no sentencing guidelines for the offence but the maximum sentence is two years in prison.
Stephen Thomas, for Laming, said his client realised his actions had been “foolish and dangerous” but he asked the court to accept there had been nothing malicious about them.
He said the defendant, who works for a tyre company, had been “extremely intoxicated” on the night in question and was sorry for – and embarrassed about – what had happened.
Recorder Sean Bradley told Laming walking down the tracks had been an “incredibly foolish thing to do” but he accepted the defendant’s remorse was genuine.
Laming was given a 12 month community order and was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.