Burglar jailed for 18 months, after delaying 783 trains while up a tree
 

From
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...on-pounds.html

Burglar in tree delayed 783 trains and cost half a million pounds

A "stupid" burglar who climbed up a tree next to a train line to avoid
police, led to the delay or cancellation of 783 trains at a cost of half a
million pounds, a court was told.

Carlton Andre, 36, is now starting an 18-month jail term after he delayed
hundreds of thousands of commuters.
Andre, clad in motorcyle gear and a balaclava, had used an angle grinder to
cut open the shutters of the Currys store at Stone Lake Retail Park in
Charlton, south east London, causing £1,500 worth of damage.

When police were called he panicked and tried to escape empty-handed on a
stolen motorbike.
But when the £4,000 bike, stolen in July from St James' Square in central
London, failed to start he fled on foot from police who tried to Taser him,
before he hid in a garden shed.

When Andre was located by a police helicopter he once again fled across
live railway tracks before climbing a tree near Charlton railway station.
Hundreds of trains through Woolwich and Greenwich were disrupted on August
13, a Wednesday, after Andre spent 17 hours up the tree.

Andre, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to burglary, driving a car
without the owner's consent and driving while disqualified at an earlier
hearing. He also pleaded guilty to obstructing police, criminal damage and
obstructing the railway following an attempted burglary at a commercial
unit.

John Warrington, prosecuting, told Woolwich Crown Court that police called
to reports of a burglary at Currys chased Andre on foot and tried to Taser
him.
Mr Warrington said: "That seemed to have no effect, probably because of the
protective motorcycle clothing that was being worn."

He said that after a struggle Andre "managed to pull himself free."
Mr Warrington added: "He was hiding in a shed when he was located by a
police helicopter.
"Realising that he had been tracked, he moved on and the helicopter
followed him.
"It was at this stage that he made his way on to the nearby railway tracks
and stayed there.
"The railway tracks were live railway tracks in the vicinity of Charlton
station."

Mr Warrington said that Andre had stayed by the tracks near the station in
south east London for "approximately an hour" in the hope that the
helicopter would "give up".
He said: "He then took things further and climbed a nearby tree in order to
evade being captured.
"He was in the tree for about 17 hours before he came down and was
arrested.
"He remained in that tree until seven o'clock in the evening which is when
he agreed to come down."

Met Police, British Transport Police, paramedics and rail staff were all
called to try and get him down, eventually arresting him after a 17 hour
wait.
Mr Warrington added: "The cost of that incident is estimated at £490,826 -
783 trains were affected by his actions of which a hundred were either
fully cancelled or cancelled in part."

Jailing Andre, Recorder Steven Kovats QC said:"In my judgement these
offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence can be imposed.
"This was a very serious offence of its type. It's true that nobody was
killed or injured but amount of disruption was large.
"Your behaviour that night was selfish, it was stupid, but it was not
irrational."
He added: "You are now nearly 40-years-old. I do take into account that you
had a difficult upbringing.

Referring to Andre's previous 20 convictions he said: "You have been before
the courts for a number of cases over a number of years.
"You still have not got beyond your criminal ways. The total is an 18 month
imprisonment."
The Recorder turned down Andre's request for a mental health assessment on
the basis that his behaviour did not seem irrational, adding: "Maybe very
stupid and foolish behaviour, but it doesn't seem to me irrational."

Burglar jailed for 18 months, after delaying 783 trains while up a tree
 

On Tue, 30 Sep 2014 01:26:31 -0500
Recliner wrote:
From
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...tree-delayed-7
3-trains-and-cost-half-a-million-pounds.html

Burglar in tree delayed 783 trains and cost half a million pounds

A "stupid" burglar who climbed up a tree next to a train line to avoid
police, led to the delay or cancellation of 783 trains at a cost of half a
million pounds, a court was told.

I'm not sure whos dumber - the burglar or a society that would bring a
transport system to a halt because of some worthless piece of scum stuck up a
tree nearby. If he'd fallen out and died I'd have called that a result.

--
Spud

Burglar jailed for 18 months, after delaying 783 trains while up a tree
 

On Tue, 30 Sep 2014 08:30:09 GMT, d wrote:

On Tue, 30 Sep 2014 01:26:31 -0500
Recliner wrote:
From
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...tree-delayed-7
3-trains-and-cost-half-a-million-pounds.html

Burglar in tree delayed 783 trains and cost half a million pounds

A "stupid" burglar who climbed up a tree next to a train line to avoid
police, led to the delay or cancellation of 783 trains at a cost of half a
million pounds, a court was told.

I'm not sure whos dumber - the burglar or a society that would bring a
transport system to a halt because of some worthless piece of scum stuck up a
tree nearby. If he'd fallen out and died I'd have called that a result.

You're not the one that has to do the resultant paperwork.

Burglar jailed for 18 months, after delaying 783 trains while up a tree
 

On Tue, 30 Sep 2014 22:02:12 +0100
Charles Ellson wrote:
On Tue, 30 Sep 2014 08:30:09 GMT, d wrote:

On Tue, 30 Sep 2014 01:26:31 -0500
Recliner wrote:
From
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...n-tree-delayed
7
3-trains-and-cost-half-a-million-pounds.html

Burglar in tree delayed 783 trains and cost half a million pounds

A "stupid" burglar who climbed up a tree next to a train line to avoid
police, led to the delay or cancellation of 783 trains at a cost of half a
million pounds, a court was told.

I'm not sure whos dumber - the burglar or a society that would bring a
transport system to a halt because of some worthless piece of scum stuck up a
tree nearby. If he'd fallen out and died I'd have called that a result.

You're not the one that has to do the resultant paperwork.

Probably a bit less paperwork than that for 700 cancelled trains!

But seriously, if the man is no threat to the railway the railway should
keep running. If he gets hurt , well he's an adult, that was his lookout.
Tough.

--
Spud

Burglar jailed for 18 months, after delaying 783 trains whileup a tree
 

On 30/09/2014 22:02, Charles Ellson wrote:
On Tue, 30 Sep 2014 08:30:09 GMT, d wrote:

On Tue, 30 Sep 2014 01:26:31 -0500
Recliner wrote:
From
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...tree-delayed-7
3-trains-and-cost-half-a-million-pounds.html

Burglar in tree delayed 783 trains and cost half a million pounds

A "stupid" burglar who climbed up a tree next to a train line to avoid
police, led to the delay or cancellation of 783 trains at a cost of half a
million pounds, a court was told.

I'm not sure whos dumber - the burglar or a society that would bring a
transport system to a halt because of some worthless piece of scum stuck up a
tree nearby. If he'd fallen out and died I'd have called that a result.

You're not the one that has to do the resultant paperwork.

I'll do that.