A man is jailed for trespassing on South Western Railway tracks. His actions caused major delays and cancellations on August 19, 2024.
The train line links London to other areas. These areas include Dorset and Surrey. The train had to brake fast at 75 mph because he was on the tracks.
Network Rail shut off power to the electric rails, stopping four trains outside stations. The entire SWR network faced major disruptions due to him. To avoid further problems, some trains stopped early.
These trains served areas like Chessington and Guildford, ending their routes at Clapham Junction. Train delays impacted services all day long. London Waterloo station became too crowded, so staff had to put safety measures in place.
In total, 921 trains faced problems from his actions. About 358 trains were completely cancelled. Other trains had parts of their routes cancelled too. Delays added up to 13,178 minutes, costing £1.2 million.
Seymour ran from the police that day, but police found and arrested him later. The Metropolitan Police led this investigation with help from British Transport Police and Network Rail.
The court sentenced Seymour to 18 months of jail. Eight months were for public nuisance and ten months were for dangerous driving, with the sentences occurring one after another.
On February 4, 2025, he admitted his guilt at Kingston Crown Court. He pleaded guilty to driving dangerously and causing public nuisance. He also admitted to driving without a proper license and without insurance on a public road.