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3 years behind bars for man who threatened to
stab stranger at train station
A man who threatened to stab a stranger
at a Merseyside rail station has been jailed for 3 years at Liverpool Crown
Court following a British Transport Police investigation. Jeffrey Paul Black,
36, from Litherland, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at an earlier hearing
and was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday, 11 August 2015. The court
heard how Black’s victim, a 20 year old man, from Berkshire, encountered him at
Ainsdale Station, at around 6.30am, on Sunday, 9 March 2014, when he asked Black
which was the correct platform for London bound trains. The pair briefly chatted
before the victim moved to the end of the platform and settled down to sleep. He
was woken around 15 minutes later by Black, who was holding a dart in his
clenched fist and threatened to 'puncture his lung' if the man did not hand over
£50. After initially refusing to hand over the cash, the victim, believing he
may actually be stabbed, offered to use his cash card to withdraw the money.
Black shouted at a passer by for directions to the nearest cash machine. At this
point the victim took his chance and explained what was happening to the passer
by who called the Police and helped the victim escape from the station and away
from Black. Black was picked up in a nearby bus shelter after he approached a
Police car asking if Officers were looking for him. Investigating officer DC
Martin Melia said:- "This was a violent incident which Black's victim
believed would result in him being seriously injured if he didn't comply with
his demands. The assistance of a passing member of the public helped the victim
to escape; had he not, the outcome may well have been different. The sentence
reflects the severity of the incident. Thankfully violence on the rail network
is rare, but will not be tolerated in any circumstances. British Transport
Police will continue to do everything in its power to make the rail network
safe, but when incidents of this nature occur the Force will use all means
available to bring offenders to justice." |
