Vandalism on the Severn Beach

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From ITV

Vandals cancel train service as they graffiti carriage

A group of vandals caused havoc when they attempted to board a train then spray painted the side of the carriage.

A group of up to 20 young people attempted to board the 5.14am Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach service on Monday, but were too late.

Several members tried to stop the train doors from closing and were then verbally abusive to staff who attempted to reason with them.

Other individuals then spray painted the side of the carriage - covering the windows and panels in silver and pink paint.

The service was cancelled, and all passengers were asked to alight from the train.

"While no one was injured during the incident, train staff were understandably left very intimidated and upset." say BTP^▸ (British Transport Police), whole would like to speak to anyone with information that may assist them

[BBM]

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Bristol-train-service-cancelled-carriage/story-28402584-detail/story.html

[eightf48544]

Not good.

[Tim]

Good grief.  My mind boggles at the mentality of the morons who got up at 5 am to do this! 

As reported this strikes me as a much more serious crime than spaying a wall.  With staff intimidated and the safe operation of the railway interfered with, one would hope that the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) pull out all the stops to get some convictions here and that the prosecutors charge them with more than simply graffiti. 

[ChrisB]

Don't you believe it - bet they'd been up all night graffiti-ing & probably on way home on first train....then got annoyed when the train wouldn't wait for their mates possibly finding breakfast....

[Bmblbzzz]

I very much doubt they got up at 5 a.m. Montpellier's a bit of a hotspot for graffiti anyway, as well as general post-club pissed-uppery, vandalism, mugging etc. Sadly.  

[Bmblbzzz]

As for charging them with more than graffiti, isn't there something along the lines of "interfering with the operations of the railway" which could be used, seeing as they caused the service to be cancelled? Assuming they can be identified, of course.

[ChrisB]

Is CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) fitted to those trains?

[TaplowGreen]

As reported this strikes me as a much more serious crime than spaying a wall.   

.....you need to see a vet about that.

[Tim]

As for charging them with more than graffiti, isn't there something along the lines of "interfering with the operations of the railway" which could be used, seeing as they caused the service to be cancelled? Assuming they can be identified, of course.

Those were the lines along which I was thinking, either interfering with the train or failing to comply with lawful instructions of a servant of the railway or some such. 

[Tim]

Is CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) fitted to those trains?

National Rail website claims CCTV at the STATION. 

[phile]

I very much doubt they got up at 5 a.m. Montpellier's a bit of a hotspot for graffiti anyway, as well as general post-club pissed-uppery, vandalism, mugging etc. Sadly.  

I read elsewhere that there had been a rave in the area

[JayMac]

Is CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) fitted to those trains?

National Rail website claims CCTV at the STATION. 

There is indeed CCTV, controlled by Bristol City Council, at Montpellier. And all other Severn Beach Line stations between Bristol TM^‡(resolve) and Clifton Down. The Class 15x units used on the line are all fitted with CCTV too.