A Dundee University student who pushed a railway worker on to tracks after he missed his train has been jailed for 20 months.
Cheyenne Naeb, 26, lashed out at Brittany Mansfield, 28, at Glasgow’s Queen Street station on February 1 last year.
Naeb, a PHD philosophy student, was enraged after dispatcher Miss Mansfield allowed a train to leave which he wished to board at 9.11am.
He pointed his finger at Miss Mansfield and launched into a verbal tirade against her.
Naeb then pushed her on to the tracks shortly before a train on the line was set to depart.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how Naeb’s father had “travelled from America to see his son imprisoned rather than be at his graduation.”
Speaking outside court, Miss Mansfield said she had hoped for a longer sentence. “I could have died,” she said.
‘A gross overreaction’
The American national walked off showing “no concern” for injured Miss Mansfield before he was stopped by police.
Naeb, who planned to become a professor if he graduated this year, now faces career ruin after he pled guilty to assaulting Miss Mansfield to her injury and danger of life.
He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Sheriff John McCormick said: “This was a gross overreaction to missing a train.
“The potential consequences could have been catastrophic.
“I have read the victim impact statement regarding the ongoing physical and mental injuries.
“Taking everything into account, there is no appropriate alternative to a custodial sentence.”
Pointed finger and shouted
The court heard that Miss Mansfield had dispatched a train on platform seven which pulled away when Naeb walked towards her.
Miss Mansfield told him that the train had gone and he shouted: “Don’t you come near me, you made me miss my train.
“Don’t look at me you scumbag c***.”
Miss Mansfield turned to face Naeb who pointed his finger at her while being aggressive.
As a result of his behaviour, she told Naeb that he was no longer allowed to travel.
Prosecutor Ross Canning said: “Naeb lunged forward and pushed Miss Mansfield with both hands to her chest with such force that she came off the end of the platform.
“She landed in between the running lines of platform seven in front of a train that was preparing to leave the station.
“Miss Mansfield was able to grab hold of Naeb’s sleeve which somewhat broke her fall.”
Showed ‘no concern’ after push
The hearing was told that Naeb walked away from Miss Mansfield showing “no concern” for her.
She requested assistance on her work radio as she pulled herself up from the 915-millimeter drop despite injuring her hip in the fall.
It was also noted that she had cuts to her hand, scrapes to her legs and a swollen elbow when she later attended hospital.
Naeb went on to try and bypass the police who were made aware of the situation but he was stopped.
Miss Mansfield as well as Naeb’s father – who flew from the USA – were in attendance at the sentencing.
Paul Sweeney, defending, said: “He asks me to offer his apologies to her and he fully accepts his behaviour on that day was wrong.
“He knows the physical and mental anguish he caused to her and he is sorry for that.
“It was hoped that he would embark on further academia by becoming a professor but this will be difficult.
“His father travelled from America to see his son imprisoned rather than be at his graduation.”
Victim’s reaction
Miss Mansfield said outside court: “As a victim, I think the sentence should have been longer. I could have died.
“It is not as if he pushed me off a kerb. It was quite a drop.”
The mum said she was off work for around nine months after the attack.
She added: “I still have to stand on the platforms where it happened. It is never ending.”
When asked if she had any ill feelings towards Naeb, Miss Mansfield replied: “No, I do not necessarily forgive him but I do not want to be bitter.
“If I was to carry on hatred and things like that, I think I would go on a downward spiral.
“I have children and I want to make sure that I am in the best frame of mind.”
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