Bitter ex-train driver HIJACKED commuter service and brought London to rush hour standstill after losing job
A BITTER ex-train driver hijacked a packed commuter service and locked himself inside to bring London to a rush hour standstill three years after losing his job.
Unemployed Jeffrey Wheeler, 56, kept hold of his driver's keys after being let go by Southeastern trains in October 2016.
On November 25 last year, he broke into the rear driver's cab of the 7.15am service from London Cannon Street to Oprington and slammed on the emergency brakes two minutes after it left the station.
He then used a bar to lock himself inside the cabin and when confronted by the real driver told him: "Hello my name is Jeffrey Wheeler, you can't enter the cab for both of our safety".
Prosecutor Patricia Deighan said: "The defendant told him that this was a protest because he had lost his job as a train driver and that at 8.30am he would release the brakes.
"He said directors had refused to meet with him so he used the incident to make his voice heard."
After police were called, Wheeler let himself out of the cab door and walked along live train tracks before being arrested.
He had to be escorted to a side exit of the station to avoid a mob of angry passengers stranded on the platform.
Your actions were borne out of upset and spite.
Judge Silas Reid
The blockade caused massive delays and cancellations across the London train network and affected up to 70,000 passengers.
Southeastern lost £400,000 as a result, including more than £100,000 through Delay Repay refunds to 18,000 commuters.
Wheeler, from Plumstead, South East London, pleaded guilty to obstructing the railway at Inner London Crown Court but was spared jail and given a 12-month suspended prison sentence.
The court heard the train driver held a grudge against the train company and its management.
He had been placed on a performance monitoring programme before agreeing a settlement to leave his role.
Defending, Marianna Pasteris said: "He clearly behaved in a completely inappropriate way. He was clearly affected by his loss of employment and this stayed with him."
She added Wheeler had been suffering from depression since losing his job.
DRIVER'S VENDETTA
Judge Silas Reid branded Wheeler 'spiteful' and said he had planned the hijacking to cause maximum disruption.
He said: "Your career finished in 2016 in circumstances you felt were unfair to you. For a long time you felt aggrieved at Southeastern railway.
"You took the law into your own hands. The passengers on that train were effectively held captive.
"Your actions were deeply selfish and you caused disruption and expense to tens of thousands of people.
"Your actions were borne out of upset and spite."
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Wheeler's prison sentence was suspended for 18 months and he was also handed 150 hours of unpaid work and a 20-day rehabilitation programme.
A spokesman for Southeastern said: “The incident on 25 November caused widespread disruption and we would like to apologise to those passengers delayed by Mr Wheeler’s actions.
"We are grateful to the City of London Police for their rapid intervention and hope that this sentence will deter others from disrupting the railway - risking their own safety and delaying the many passengers who rely on our services.”
