Trio Jailed

[locojoe]

FROM THE BTPOLICE FILE.
17/12/2007 16:01
TRIO JAILED FOR ENDANGERING SAFETY - HAMPSHIRE

Three youths have been jailed for their part in obstructing the railway line in Hampshire, after they threw a concrete post onto the tracks of an oncoming train.

British Transport Police Detective Sergeant Sarah White said the jailing of the trio should send a stern warning that police and the courts took such offences very seriously.

Winchester Crown Court was told that Ben Sheppard and Saul Jacobs, both 19 and from Eastleigh drove to Shawford Railway Station on April 10 this year and climbed a fence to reach the railway line at around 2210 hours.

The pair found a six foot long, reinforced concrete post, and placed it onto the running rails.

DS White said: "About 10 minutes later a passenger train was approaching Shawford Railway Station and struck the concrete post. The train was forced to stop and was taken out of service, requiring £3,234:38 worth of repairs.

"The driver of the train stated to police that he seriouslty feared the train would be derailed."

DS White said two nights later Sheppard and Jacobs returned to the station in the company of another male Kevin Reese, 19, also from Eastleigh, and placed another concrete post across the same running rails.

"The driver of the 2230 hours train from Southampton was travelling at 75mph when he saw the post and applied the emergency brakes but was unable to stop in time.

"There was a very loud bang as the item was struck and it bounced along the underside of the train. The train driver told police he feared the train was going to come off the tracks at high speed, causing potential death or serious injury to the passengers on board."

The three males were arrested by police soon after and charged with endangering safety. They were sentenced in Winchester Crown Court to 18 months each in a Young Offenders Institute.

The same three males were also today convicted of a series of arson attacks in the Hampshire Police area. They were sentenced to a further three years each for those offences.

DS White said the trio posed a grave danger to public safety.

"Acts such as this are not to be taken lightly. When policing the railway, we often encounter problems, particularly around the holidays when bored youngsters trespass and place obstructions on the track.

"Not only are those people that engage in that activity risking their own lives, by potentially being electrocuted or struck by a train, but as in this case, had the potential to derail a train potentially causing death and injury to unsuspecting members of the public."

[paul miller]

Are they totally brainless, or do they not realise the consequences of their actions.
If anyone ever tells me they do it because they are bored I think I may strangle them.
I cannot believe they are really on this planet. To risk a train full of peoples lives, and the poor drivers. They have come to accept this as part and parcel of the job I would assume, just as ambulance men seem to have to run the gauntlet of being bricked every time they turn out to help someone.
To be honest it's not acceptable is it?
Paul.

[Shed Cat]

A very serious story and they deserve what they got.

But on a lighter note I love the fact that the repairs cost £3234.38p
No doubt the figure was portentiously reported in court by a man in a 18th Century wig, and carefully copied down by the reporter as a critical part of his story.

[locojoe]

I wonder what the 38p was for.

[Tonga]

I am amazed it was as little as £3234.38p - but that apart, I am delighted to see the clowns received a custodial sentence; perhaps they will get to share a cell with someone whose life has been ruined by such mindless vandalism.

[locojoe]

FROM THE BTPOLICE SITE.
04/01/2008 11:41
POLICE APPEAL AFTER TRAIN WINDSCREEN SMASHED BY VANDALS IN GRIMSBY

British Transport Police (BTP) are appealing for any information in relation to an incident where a large object was dropped from a footbridge onto an oncoming train near Fuller Street in Cleethorpes, Grimsby at around 19.30hours on Thursday 3 January 2008.

The 19.28 Cleethorpes to Manchester Airport First TransPennine Express service was passing under Fuller Street footbridge when a large object was thrown from the bridge smashing the windscreen of the oncoming train.

The driver of the train reported seeing four youths on the bridge at the time of the incident.

The train had passengers and full train crew on board at the time of the incident; fortunately no-one was injured.

British Transport Police were called and searched the area in question but there was no trace of any suspects.

Inspector Graham Bridges of British Transport Police said

“It’s vital that we catch those involved in this incident. I cannot emphasise strongly enough the dangers associated with this type of crime.

"As well as young people throwing objects at trains we often encounter problems with trespassing and placing obstructions on the railway lines. This has resulted in incidents where train drivers have been seriously injured or in the case of obstructions, trains have derailed and the lives of passengers placed at risk.

"The railway is not a playground and can be a dangerous environment. The reality is risking being hit by 25,000 volts of electricity and trains traveling at speeds of up to 100mph, a train can’t swerve to miss someone in its path. In addition anyone who is caught trespassing can face a maximum £1,000 fine.

"The footbridge area in a popular route for dog walkers to and from the sea front and I would urge anyone who was in or around that area around the time of the incident and who may seen the youths hanging around or have any information that may help us with our inquiries to contact BTP in strict confidence on freefone 0800 405040 quoting incident number 441 03/01/2008”.

Edith Rodgers, customer services director at First TransPennine Express, said: “People who throw objects at trains need to realise that they are aiming at people and this is extremely dangerous.

"There is no justification for this kind of behaviour and the railway should not be used as a playground. We will not tolerate anybody who tries to jeopardise the safety of our passengers and staff and are working closely with the British Transport Police to investigate this further.”

[Trev]

"The railway is not a playground and can be a dangerous environment. The reality is risking being hit by 25,000 volts of electricity and trains traveling at speeds of up to 100mph, a train can’t swerve to miss someone in its path. In addition anyone who is caught trespassing can face a maximum £1,000 fine.

I agree with the sentiment of the police, but just when did Grimsby get electrified? Maybe a little less sensationalism might get the point across better?

There is no point in trying to appeal to reason with these silly b******s. How about if the BTP announced that 'We are trying to trace four youths in connection with an attempted murder'?