Conductor who lost train fined £1,000

A DRUNK train conductor who was left standing on a station platform after his train left without him was fined £1,000 yesterday.

Simon Stansfield was due to take over from another conductor on the Edinburgh to Inverurie train at Dundee on 19 November. But after stepping off to check all the doors were closed, he got left behind when the driver pulled out of the station.

Stansfield was later found to be three times over the drink drive limit. The train, packed with passengers, then had to return to Dundee from the Angus town to pick up the conductor.

Fiscal depute Ross Cargill told Dundee Sheriff Court that Stansfield was working on the ScotRail train when the driver thought he heard a buzzer sounding indicating it was safe to leave and heard the braking system being released before moving the train forward.

The prosecutor added: “As the train departed, the accused was left on the station platform. Mr Cox, the station supervisor, was approached by Mr Stansfield and told what had happened. The driver was contacted and stopped the train. While speaking to Mr Stansfield, Mr Cox smelled alcohol on his breath and contacted the controller. The British Transport Police were contacted and Mr Stansfield was breathalysed.” Mr Cargill said the breathalyser showed a reading of 110 mics of alcohol.

Stansfield was taken to police HQ in Dundee where a blood test revealed a level of 120 mics. Stansfield, 45, of Scott Street, Dundee, pleaded guilty to a charge that, being a person who works on a transport system and who controlled the movement of a vehicle, he worked with excess alcohol in his system.

Alan Lyle, defending, said: “He has resigned from his position and has seen his GP to address his alcohol problem.

“He’s very ashamed of the position that he finds himself in.”

Sheriff Richard Davidson fined Stansfield £1,000.