Drunks lived to tell tale after being run over by train

[Tadhg17]

Never underestimate the stupidity of human beings

http://www.limerickleader.ie/city/Dr...ale.3760083.jp

By Petula Martyn
TWO Moyross men who were "hopelessly drunk" escaped unscathed after a passenger train drove over them last summer, a court has heard.
The Ennis-bound commuter service from Colbert Station, carrying over 100 passengers, had only travelled a few miles when the train driver saw two bodies lying across the track.

Train driver, Harry Beegan, activated the emergency brakes when he saw the men lying motionless 30 yards ahead of his train. The two-carriage vehicle came to a halt after rolling over the sleeping men.

James Broderick, 54, of Pineview Gardens and Thomas Franklin, 29, of Smith O'Brien Avenue pleaded guilty to trespassing on Irish Rail Property and endangering themselves while intoxicated on June 1, 2007.
Inspector Pat Connolly told Limerick District Court it was a shocking, drunken prank that almost ended in a double tragedy.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, the train driver said the pair were lucky to be alive.

"Another fraction and both would have their skulls smashed to pieces. Their heads were up against the wheels on either side of the track right at where the train came to a halt."

He said, "One of them still had a cigarette in his hand and his eyes were open and just staring into space.

"There was a bottle of cider between them on the line. The doctor took their pulse and said they were OK. If I hadn't stopped where I did, they were both dead.

"They'll never know how lucky they are to be alive," he added.

The court was told the men, who were not injured, managed to crawl from under the train's carriage to safety.

Solicitor Ted McCarthy, representing Mr Broderick and Mr Franklin, said the men "could have got themselves killed."

He insisted the incident was not a malicious prank. "It wasn't a situation where they got up and ran away laughing," he told the court. "The two me
n were hopelessly drunk that day. "

Mr McCarthy said, "It is the practice of certain people to use this section of railway line for drinking or going from A to B."

He said the defandants' previous records - Mr Broderick has 33 previous convictions and Mr Franklin has 63 previous convictions - showed they have a problem with drink.

Judge Tom O'Donnell said the matter was "extremely, extremely serious".
He said he could only imagine the panic the train driver must have felt seeing these people on the track, trying all the emergency stops and then finding them intoxicated under the train.

In imposing a six month suspended prison sentence on both defendants, Judge O'Donnell said they were "in a hair's breadth of going to jail for their outrageous performance."

He also fined them €300 each and ordered them to stay away from railway lines, except for legitimate travel.

Last Updated: 08 February 2008 1:00 PM

[Mark Gleeson]

Put it this way these guys where incredibly lucky, but once again the wonderfull court system lets them off too easy

Not all trains are so generous in clearance underneath, DART coaches leave the least possible

[Baz]

Indeed,
I personally think there should be 10 year old safe railings everywhere and if anyone older than that is stupid enough to wander over they should be imprisoned