Tag for hammer man

Friday August 27, 2010

An unemployed Shepherds Bush man has been electronically tagged and given a three-month curfew order after he threatened staff at Shepherds Bush Market tube station and attacked the ticket office with a hammer.

Paul Smith, 39, of Du Cane Road, also received concurrent 12-week and four-week suspended jail sentences for threatening behaviour and criminal damage respectively, after pleading guilty to the offences at West London Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard that Smith had become rude and abusive to tube staff on July 6 at about 6pm.

He had appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and claimed his bank card had been stolen.

When the station supervisor asked Smith to leave he became aggressive and produced a hammer from his bag, attacking the ticket office window and illuminated sign which shattered into pieces.

British Transport Police then restrained Smith before arresting and later charging him.

London Underground’s workplace violence unit manager Aidan Harris told the court: “Smith was clearly in such a state he had become a danger to himself and others.

“His attack was unprovoked and unwarranted, and we will not tolerate people behaving like this towards our staff, who are simply trying to do their job.”