A Co Antrim man who subjected a conductor to an unprovoked violent attack after he was put off a train for vaping, reacted angrily in court as a judge refused to grant him bail.
Appearing at Ballymena Magistrates Court, Stephen Weldon (34) hurled abuse at District Judge Nigel Broderick as prison staff escorted him to the cells.
The judge said usually he had to take account of the presumption of innocence but that did not arise in Weldon’s case as he made “full and frank admissions”.
He said that “this was an unwarranted assault on a public servant who was providing public transport”.
Judge Broderick said it “would have been a terrifying experience for the injured party”.
Weldon, from Inniscarn Drive in Newtownabbey, is accused of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent, criminal damage to the victim’s mobile phone and criminal damage to a bag and mobile phone which belonged to Translink, on May 8.
A detective constable outlined how the defendant was on the train to Larne when the conductor spotted him vaping and told him that he would gave to get off when it pulled in to the Magheramourne halt.
Weldon asked how he could get to work and the conductor told him there might be a bus service or he could walk it. The two men “fist bumped” and the train continued.
At the Magheramourne halt, the court heard Weldon kicked the victim, causing him to fall into the doors behind him before he “dragged him off the train and assaulted him on the platform” using both his feet and his fists.
“The victim would say that he was struck six or seven times to his head and face,” the officer said.
When police arrived Weldon was still there and he was arrested but during enquiries, “it transpired that the defendant has done like a live stream” capturing part of the assault.
During later interviews Weldon conceded that faced with a 90 minute walk to get to work “he saw red”.
The victim was taken to hospital and although doctors suspected he had sustained a fractured jaw, an X-ray showed that while badly swollen there was no fracture but he sustained five chipped teeth, bruising and abrasions.
DJ Broderick remanded Weldon into custody, and adjourned the case to June 6.