Passenger, 34, punched and kicked a train conductor in a frenzied attack when he was asked to leave for vaping - and livestreamed the assault online, court told
A tattooed thug subjected a train conductor to an unprovoked violent assault and livestreamed some of the attack online, a court has heard.
Shaven-headed Stephen Weldon ended his video with 'f***ing motherf***er not so tough now' after using his feet and fists in the frenzied onslaught.
The 34-year-old, from Inniscarn Drive in Newtownabbey, County Antrim, had earlier been asked to get off the train for breaking rules by vaping.
Appearing today in the dock at Ballymena Magistrates Court in Northern Ireland Weldon hurled foul-mouthed abuse at District Judge Nigel Broderick after he refused to grant him bail and prison staff escorted him away 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'.
Stephen Weldon punched and kicked a train conductor in a frenzied attack when he was asked to leave for vaping
He said while the charges may well be revised by the PPS, 'what cannot be in dispute is the fact that this was an unwarranted assault on a public servant who was providing public transport'.
Judge Broderick said the 'unprovoked, vindictive assault would have been a terrifying experience for the injured party' and that, given Weldon's relevant convictions for assault, 'in my view you are not a suitable candidate for bail'.
Weldon confirmed that he understood the three charges against him accusing him 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 the rail operating company Translink, all committed on May 8 this year.
Objecting to Weldon being granted bail, 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 a few miles outside the harbour town.
Weldon asked how he could get to work and the conductor told him there might be a bus service or that he could walk it but in any event, the two men 'fist bumped' and the train continued on its journey.
While the train remained at Larne station, the victim noticed there was a charger for a vaping device so when the train arrived back at the Magheramourne halt on the return journey leg, he went to hand it back to Weldon but 'the male attacked him'.
The officer said 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 told the court, adding that the victim was able to get away, shouting at other passengers to call the police as he ran through the carriages until he got to the sanctuary of the driver's cabin.
When police arrived Weldon was still there and he was arrested but during police enquiries 'it transpired that the defendant has done a live stream' capturing part of the assault.
The officer described how the video captures Weldon stamping on the victim's personal phone, work phone and money bag and him commenting that the conductor 'was talking tough and got his ass whooped'.
Wishing viewers 'good luck and God bless,' the court heard that Weldon finishes the video declaring 'f***ing motherf***er not so tough now'.
During later interviews Weldon conceded that faced with a 90-minute walk to get to work and fearing that he spoiled losing the job he had only just started 'he saw red'.
The 34-year-old, from Inniscarn Drive in Newtownabbey, County Antrim, appeared in the dock at Ballymena Magistrates Court in Northern Ireland
Weldon admitted that he dragged the conductor off the train and accepted striking him but 'denied assaulting him further,' said the detective, adding that according to Weldon, the conductor's 'attitude wasn't right'.
'He was just trying to be the Alpha so the defendant showed him who was the big Alpha,' concluded the detective.
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 had also sustained five chipped teeth as well as bruising and abrasions.
While the officer said police were concerned about witness interference, defence counsel Neil Moore said given the fact that Weldon had made admissions there was no basis for any such concerns.
The barrister told the court that although Weldon is charged with attempted GBH, 'I have been told that will not be proceeded with and will be replaced by actual bodily harm' and he argued that as such, the case would likely stay in the Magistrates Court and may not ultimately attract a jail sentence.
'His actions he accepts are completely improper,' conceded Mr Moore, arguing that with the job in Larne now likely lost Weldon had no need to be on a train so he could be freed on bail albeit with conditions to assuage police concerns.
District Judge Broderick said, while the charge 'may be reduced,' he was of the view there 'is a risk of further offences and a risk of an immediate custodial sentence but that remains too be seen'.
Remanding Weldon into custody, he adjourned the case to June 6 and after Weldon hurling abuse at him, the judge added that if the defendant appealed the decision: 'I want the High Court to be told of his attitude.'
