A Dundee train conductor who was over the legal alcohol limit while responsible for passengers on a train at Dundee Station was left on the platform when the train departed.
Simon Stansfield (45), of Scott Street, was found to be more than three times the legal limit after the 16.38 to Inverbervie travelled to Carnoustie without him.
The conductor immediately alerted station staff and the train was recalled from the Angus town, Dundee Sheriff Court heard on Tuesday.
Sheriff Davidson warned him he risked being sent to prison and continued the case for him to obtain legal representation.
Stansfield admitted that on November 19, at Dundee Railway Station, being a person who works on a transport system and who controlled the movement of a vehicle, or in a maintenance capacity, or as a supervisor of persons in a maintenance capacity, he worked on the system with excess alcohol (120 mic).
Depute fiscal Ross Cargill told the court Mr Stansfield was responsible for telling the driver of the train when it was safe to depart; he was responsible for general passenger safety and for operating the system to lock the doors and deactivate the braking system.
He said the accused was operating on the Inverurie-bound ScotRail train and the driver had reported that, as he was preparing to depart, due to the noisy party in the compartment behind him, he thought he heard the buzzer go and heard the braking system being released and moved the train forward.
Mr Cargill said: ”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.
”He said he had last had a drink at 10am that morning,” the fiscal added.
He said the breathalyser showed a preliminary reading of 110 mic and he was detained and taken to police HQ at Bell Street where a further blood test showed a reading of 120 mic, he told the court.
The incident was also caught on CCTV.
Stansfield, appearing without legal representation, said he went to close the door he was standing beside, turned the key and the doors closed and the train started to move off without him.
”I was left standing on the platform. I told the station staff about it, the transport police breathalysed me and hence I am here.”
Asked by Sheriff Davidson to explain the procedure for allowing trains to move off from the station he stated: ”Once I buzz the driver, the doors close and the brakes are released.”
Asked why he had been drinking at 10am that day he said he had had a personal issue. He said he had spoken to his union representative, resigned two days after the event and was still unemployed.
Sheriff Davidson asked him: ”The train was off with the driver thinking that he had a conductor on board to operate the doors and there was a degree of risk to the passengers?”
Stansfield replied: ”Yes.”
He said the train got as far as Carnoustie and then had to come back, which he agreed was at the least an inconvenience to the passengers.
Sheriff Davidson said the limit was the same as for drink driving: 35 mics in 100 millilitres of blood.
He said: ”You were more than three times the limit for operating as a train conductor and the maximum penalties are £5,000, 12 months in prison or both.
”I am going to continue this for you to obtain legal advice, which I strongly advise you to get as I can’t exclude the risk of imprisonment.”
Sentence has been deferred until Tuesday.