Train driver who ran through signal at Birmingham New Street was five times over alcohol limit

A train driver was caught five times over the alcohol limit after he ran through a red signal at Birmingham New Street Station.

Ian Pickering from Leicestershire has been told he faces the prospect of prison after his actions "endangered passengers".

The 56-year-old has been a driver for 35 years without issue but admitted he had a number of drinks the night before the incident, which happened on December 30 last year.

After missing the light he reported the signal "issue" himself but was breathalysed and found to be way over the drink-driving limit for train operators, which is much stricter than the bar for car drivers on the road.

Pickering attended Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Thursday, April 27, and admitted an offence of being a transport worker whose alcohol limit was over the limit and a count of endangering the safety of a person conveyed on a railway.

Prosecutor Shazad Imam said: "At Birmingham New Street Station police officers received information of a possible train driver being over the prescribed legal limit.

"Officers attended having received a report of an incident having occurred where a train driver with passengers reported driving through a red signal and had to be taken off service.

"He was breathalysed by the driver manager and had blown a reading over the legal limit.

"The driver manager became aware of an incident where a train driver in charge of a particular train ran through a red signal on platform 10. As per company policy the manager attended."

Pickering blew an initial reading of 94 microgrammes (mcg) of alcohol in 100 millilitres (ml) of breath, against the legal limit of 13mcg. By way of comparison the threshold for car drivers is 35mcg.

In a second test he blew 88mcg and then once arrested and taken to a police station Pickering recorded 65mcg in 100ml of breath - five times over the limit - which was taken as the formal result for which he was charged.

Mr Imam added: "In interview he gave a full account.

"He said he missed the light due to an issue with the signal. He said he reported it and was surprised to be breathalysed. He had booked on duty at Leicester.

"Alcohol consumption was raised. He said he had been out drinking the night before and got back at 11pm. He had three drinks, returned home and had another couple of drinks but stopped drinking at 1am.

"He was aware of the drink-driving limit. He wasn't aware of the limit for trains."

Robert Ward, defending, addressed the judge and said: "Naturally you will be concerned about that element, passengers being on the train.

"What I would say on his behalf is that he reported going over the signal at the first opportunity. He took the breathalyser and complied throughout."

He told the court fellow drivers had written positive character references for Pickering, who he stated did not have an "alcohol problem".

Mr Ward added: "He has been a train driver for 35 years having worked as a guard before for 12 months. He would have undergone routine breathalyser tests as part of the job, some of which would have been at random. There has been no incident in the past."

District Judge Lucy Hogarth concluded it was "appropriate" to commit sentencing to Birmingham Crown Court after "bearing in mind passenger safety was endangered".

She ordered a pre-sentence report for "all options" including custody.

Judge Hogarth added: "To be fair you have pleaded guilty straight away and as a result lost your good character.

"I understand that due to the nature of the offence it is unlikely you will work in that job again when you have been doing it successfully as long as you have. Clearly people think well of you."

Pickering was granted bail and told to attend Birmingham Crown Court at a date in May.

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