Ticketless man's assault on conductor caused train delay in Mansfield Woodhouse

When Desmond Bryan was told he was not allowed to get onboard her shoved the conductor aside, at around 7pm, on June 27, Mansfield Magistrates’ Court heard.

Andrew Conboy, prosecuting, said police were called and a 20-minute delay was caused while the train waited.

"Passengers who tried to tell him the train was being delayed were given short shrift," said Mr Conboy.

Bryan, aged 58, told officers he had boarded the train to Mansfield Woodhouse without a ticket or money earlier, but was stopped when he tried to board the return journey.

“He said he just wanted to go home,” said Mr Conboy. “He didn’t regret his actions and said he would do the same thing, in the same situation, again.

“He said he had evaded fares a number of times and had been let off in the past.”

The court heard Bryan was jailed in 2020 for criminal damage, and was recalled to prison after he was arrested. He is due to be released tomorrow.

Bryan, of no fixed abode, admitted assault by beating, when he appeared in court, via video-link from prison today, July 26.

Nadir Prabatani, mitigating, said: “He was in a bad state of mind at the time. He had been evicted from yet another property and was trying to sort it out.

“He accepts his actions were reprehensible. It was a thoroughly unpleasant incident and the conductor was just trying to do her job."

Sentencing, magistrates told Bryan: “While we recognise you may have frustrations in your life it doesn't give you the right to lay hands on other people.

“It will have been a scary incident. It could have been a more serious charge. It’s not acceptable and the public expect us to deal with you in a robust manner.”

He said, in view of the fact there are no recent assaults on Bryan’s criminal record, the bench imposed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £75 compensation.