Pontlottyn man who stabbed train passenger with a hunting knife jailed

A man has been jailed for more than six years after stabbing a train passenger in the chest with a hunting knife.

The incident took place on board a train between Rhymney and Pontlottyn, just after 5pm on Friday, October 13, last year.

Barely an hour before, the court heard, Christopher Liam Evans was seen play fighting with the victim at Bargoed station, which ended with the pair shaking hands and hugging.

But things turned nasty when they boarded the train and, a few minutes into the journey, Evans got up and attempted to stab the victim – who was sat behind him – four times.

Two of them connected with the right side of his chest, resulting in a 5cm-long wound which was 2cm in depth, and a separate 2cm wound.

The court was told that 42-year-old Evans had been drinking during the afternoon and then, within minutes of the stabbing, had walked to a house in Rhymney and taken heroin.

Evans, of River Road, Pontlottyn, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday, March 7, after pleading guilty at a previous hearing to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.

He was jailed for six years and four months, but due to the fact he presents a risk to the public and the aggravating factor of the incident taking place on public transport, his sentence was extended by two years on licence, to a total of eight years and four months.

He must also pay a victim surcharge of £170, while the court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the knife.

Detective Constable Dan Murdoch, of British Transport Police, said: “It is simply horrifying that innocent members of the public were forced to witness such dangerous and thuggish behaviour.

“Evans’ initial protestations that he was innocent were utterly unfathomable. He still denied responsibility even after being shown CCTV of the incident, claiming the knife in his hand may have been a mobile phone and that the blood visible on the victim’s T-shirt was a logo.

“In the end, the wealth of evidence against him – including the fact his DNA was found on the handle of the knife – left him with no choice but to plead guilty at court.

“Knives cost lives. The victim was extremely fortunate that his injuries were not more serious – an attack of this nature, with a weapon of such brutality, could so easily have been fatal.

“I would like to reassure the public that incidents such as this are extremely rare. Millions of passenger journeys are made safely each year, and the railway in and around South Wales remains a very safe place for passengers and staff.”