Lout broke barriers in Metro station rage
A DRUNK lout snapped barriers at a Metro station and ran across the tracks in order to get to the opposite platform.
Aaron Fletcher “put lives at risk” when he trespassed on the railway shortly before losing his cool at Manors station, in Newcastle.
A court heard that the 24-year-old flew into a rage because he claimed the ticket machines weren’t working and took his frustration out by trying to damage several items.
However, the bungling yob was unsuccessful until he targeted the barriers – in full view of a watching police officer. He was arrested and charged with trespassing on a railing and criminal damage, which he pleaded guilty to while in the dock on Wednesday.
Newcastle Magistrates’ Court was told that Fletcher, of Bexley Gardens, in Wallsend, also admitted a separate drunk and disorderly offence, involving him shouting and swearing in front of children in a waiting room at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NESC), in Cramlington, a few months earlier.
Emma O’hegarty, prosecuting, said an officer attended Manors Metro Station for an unrelated incident on February 27.
She added: “While at the scene, the officer entered the ticket area and could see a male, this defendant, at the ticket barrier, pushing with both hands, which caused it to snap.
“The officer spoke to staff at the station and they said the defendant had attempted to damage other items at the station and had trespassed on the track by going from one platform to another.”
In relation to the drunk and disorderly offence, the court was told that Fletcher had been discharged from NSEC on December 16 last year but had turned loud and aggressive.
Mrs O’hegarty added: “He continued to shout and swear in the waiting room and he said the word ‘c***’ in front of a child.”
After numerous warnings,
Fletcher was arrested for his behaviour.
Magistrates were told that Fletcher suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety and had a problem with alcohol.
Karen Minhas, defending, added: “The damage was committed out of frustration at the time. The ticket machine was not working but Mr Fletcher accepts he shouldn’t have reacted like he did.
“He realised he was on the wrong platform and made the stupid decision to cross the tracks. He accepts that was the wrong thing to do and he could have been in serious trouble if a Metro had come at the time.”
Fletcher was fined a total of £200 and ordered to pay £200 compensation.