Six-hour stand-off costs Network Rail £1m in delays

A STAND-OFF between British Transport Police and a former Leicester man cost Network Rail £1m in compensation delays, Leicester Crown Court was told just before Christmas. Levi Muttock, 32, climbed onto a signal gantry near Knighton Junction, south of Leicester, just before 09.00 on December 29, 2020. His actions halted all East Midlands Railway and CrossCountry services as well as freight traffic. After some 4½ hours a container train was positioned under the gantry and a ladder provided to assist Muttock. While Muttock did climb onto a container, the ladder was thrown aside and he continued to refuse to comply with negotiators to come down. He eventually gave in at 14.20. At court Muttock admitted to committing an unlawful act on the railway with intent to cause damage. Some months after the incident, Muttock robbed two supermarkets at knifepoint and was jailed for seven years and four months.