Matthew Kinsey committed the offences after returning from a relaxing cruise holiday with his wife in Norway.
A DRUNK man forced a train to halt after he repeatedly threatened to kill the driver while trying to get into his cabin.
Matthew Kinsey, 58, of Hoel Wen Road, Rhiwbina, tried to gain access to the drivers’ cabin on a Transport for Wales train while searching for the toilet, Cardiff Magistrates Court heard.
The train driver directed Kinsey to the toilet, but Kinsey was “intoxicated” and later returned to the driver’s cabin after he failed to find it, Anna Pawry, prosecuting, said.
On his second return to the driver’s cabin, Kinsey told the driver, “I will f**king kill you. I will f**king kill you all,” Ms Pawry said.
Ms Pawry said the train driver “feared for his safety” and stopped the train for more than three hours while waiting for police to arrive. The incident cost Transport for Wales £3,736, the prosecution said.
Kinsey’s probation officer, Nadine Parkinson, said he had taken his wife on a cruise holiday in Norway to have “a relaxing break” but on his return home from Treforest station, he had “consumed considerable amounts of alcohol”.
“He is mortified by his own behaviour and is remorseful. He hasn’t drunk alcohol since,” Ms Parkinson said of the incident on 5pm on June 22, 2024.
Kinsey’s last conviction was in 2003 and he has no history of repeated offending, the probation officer said.
Nathan Jones, defending, said the carriage was not busy and that more distress would have been caused if “there were more elderly people on board.”
Mr Jones said Kinsey’s remorse was “genuine” and asked District Judge Charlotte Murphy to consider a community order.
Kinsey pleaded guilty to two charges of abusive behaviour with intent to cause fear, and obstructing a carriage using the railway by an unlawful act.
Before sentencing him, District Judge Ms Murphy told Kinsey his offences were “extremely serious” and that “the distress to the driver and other passengers would have been real.”
Ms Murphy told Kinsey his offence could have faced a 12-week custodial sentence, but this was reduced to eight weeks due to his guilty plea and suspended for 12 months.
Kinsey replied to Ms Murphy: “I really am sorry. I can guarantee you will not see me ever again I promise.”
Kinsey must pay £239, which includes £85 fine in court costs £154 in surcharge costs.
Kinsey was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid community work.
