Driver Aaron O’Halloran left commuters delayed for up to eight hours and caused around £23,000 worth of damage following the incident at Duddeston Station. The “idiotic” motorist drove half a mile down train tracks then abandoned his car has been jailed for 15 months.
The British Transport Police (BTP) managed to track down O’Halloran with his mobile phone which he left behind after he abandoning his car.
He managed to get on the tracks after driving through a gate at Duddeston Station in Birmingham and began to travel towards Aston.
Footage of O’Halloran’s reckless driving has been released showing him speeding down the tracks around 7:30am on 9th May 2021.
BTP Detective Inspector Raymond Ascott said it caused “significant risk” to passengers and it was “immensely dangerous”.
Watch the shocking moment a driver sped down the railway tracks near Birmingham.
He’ll now have plenty of time to reflect on this ‘immensely dangerous and senseless act’ in prison. ??
Full story here ? https://t.co/OYE29CNWN9 pic.twitter.com/5IQhVJR8JY
— British Transport Police (@BTP) September 7, 2021
Thankfully nobody was injured during the incident.
O’Halloran who lives on Thornbury Road in Handsworth was convicted of driving while disqualified, endangering people on the railway, driving while disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance.
He didn’t comment on the event when questioned by the police but he did deny he was driving the car even though it shows him behind the wheel on CCTV.
He was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court in August where he was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £156.
Detective Inspector Ascott said: “This was an immensely dangerous and senseless act by O’Halloran which caused significant risk to passengers and damage to the railway.
“The sentence handed to him reflects the severity of this crime and we are thankful no one was injured as a result of O’Halloran’s alarming behaviour.
“He’ll now have plenty of time to reflect on his idiotic actions in prison.”
Can you imagine waiting for your train and seeing a motorist flying down the train tracks?
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