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JAILED: Suicide threats man is locked up for causing delays to train services

A man who caused over £70,000 worth of delays to trains while threatening to commit suicide was starting a two-and-a-half-year jail sentence today.

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Joseph Bradley warned he was about to jump from the Crane Street bridge over the track near Wolverhampton station three times in six months, a judge heard.

On the first occasion in January he escaped with a warning after claiming he had not realised the extent of £31,000 disruption this caused to the railway network, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told. Subsequent health checks showed he had no mental illness.

But the 23-year-old did it again three months later at around 2.30pm on March 15, revealed Mr Geoffrey Dann, prosecuting, who explained: "He was sitting on the retaining wall of the bridge and police were called.

"When officers approached the defendant warned he would jump if they came any closer. A number of officers attended and it took some time to talk him down."

Bradley had razor blades hidden in his socks and appeared to swallow one of them. He was rushed to the emergency department of New Cross Hospital where an X-ray revealed he had not ingested the blade. The defendant claimed he had intended to harm himself with the blades after an argument with his mother.

The closure of the line under the bridge led to a total of 55 train services being delayed or cancelled, costing Network Rail £33,000 in reimbursement to operators.

Bradley was charged with obstructing the railway but while free on bail committed a carbon copy offence on June 2. This time the bill for the delays topped £7,000.

Mr Simon Hanns, defending, said: "On three occasions he clearly went with the intention of trying to take his own life but did not carry this out which has been a trait in the past. He obviously has difficulties and issues and would ask the court to be as lenient as possible in the circumstances."

Bradley from Gregory Court, Wednesfield pleaded guilty to two offences of obstructing the railway and one of possessing a bladed article.

He was sent to prison by Judge Martin Walsh who said: "Psychiatrists have found you suffer from no mental illness and no mental health treatment is required."

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