A trespasser who caused nearly 1,000 train cancellations and delays at London Waterloo, costing the taxpayer £1.2 million, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Incident Details
On 19 August 2024, Ryan Seymour, 41, was spotted trespassing on the South West Main Line at New Malden, south-west London. The railway line is a major connection between Waterloo and destinations in Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, and Wiltshire.
During a police pursuit, Seymour ran across four live tracks, forcing a train driver to make an emergency stop at 75mph. Network Rail had to shut off the power to prevent electrocution, leaving four trains stranded outside stations and sparking widespread disruption across the South Western Railway (SWR) network.
Authorities are urging people to report any suspicious behavior near railway lines immediately to prevent further incidents.
