Horrifying moment racist thug shoved builder onto Tube tracks off busy platform

WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

A racist football fan who shoved a Polish builder on to the tracks at Bond Street “to uphold the reputation” of the UK has been jailed for ten years.

Christopher Cole, 32, ran at victim David Pietraszek and pushed him with both hands on to the live rail, less than a minute before a train was due to arrive at the station.

When quizzed by police, Cole confessed he had mistakenly believed Mr Pietraszek was Russian and said he carried out the assault in revenge for attacks by Russian Ultras on English football fans during Euro 2016.

He also ranted about the murder of Lee Rigby and the possibility of Britain leaving the EU, telling officers he had been “doing the country’s work when he shoved Mr Pietraszek.

At the Old Bailey today, Judge Richard Hone QC jailed Cole for ten years after watching shocking CCTV footage of the incident.

Shoved: Christopher Cole pushed the Polish man off the platform at Bond Street station
British Transport Police

“What you did that evening in your drunken state was a persistent series of acts, you pursued an innocent victim up and down the escalator”, he said.

“Your interview does you absolutely no credit at all, you appear to have been admitting you were acting in revenge or retaliation, with some absurd idea that in some way you were upholding the reputation of this country.”

Cole flashed a thumbs-up sign at police in court, saying “nice one, cheers” before being led away to the cells.

The attack, just after 10pm on June 9, was captured on camera, as Cole pursued Mr Pietraszek through the station intent on a fight.

Sentenced: Cole was jailed for 10 years at the Old Bailey
British Transport Police

Mr Pietraszek had been heading home from his work as a builder on the Central Line when he saw Cole verbally abusing other passengers and stepped in.

When Cole pushed him in the chest and appeared to be squaring up for a fight, Mr Pietraszek grabbed him in a headlock before eventually letting go.

Cole followed him off the train at Bond Street, trying to goad him into a fight and then pursuing Mr Pietraszek to the Jubilee Line platform.

"Mr Pietraszek is standing on the platform waiting for a train, he (Cole) runs up to him and pushes him in the chest, causing him to fall backwards”, said Ms Heer.

Mr Pietraszek suffered severe bruising to his back and said he could feel the electricity from the live track running through his body, but managed to scramble back on to the platform around 30 seconds before a train arrived.

"He clearly touches the rail, but what saved him was his footwear - he had rubber soles", said Ms Heer.

She told the court Cole admitted the attack in his police interview, but insisted that he only wanted to knock Mr Pietraszek’s ego following their early tussle.

"He thought Mr Pietraszek was Russian and was upset at the behaviour of Russian football fans at Euro 2016", said Ms Heer.

"This was playing on his mind, he said English people have a reputation for being 'wussies' whereas other people come to this country and do what they like."

He admitted his "ego was bruised" by being put in a headlock, and explained he wanted to "square up to Mr Pietraszek so he knew he couldn't do that in England.

"He thought Mr Pietraszek would get a bump and his ego might be bruised", added Ms Heer. "He didn't like the idea of Mr Pietraszek laughing with his friends about what he had done to an Englishman."

Cole has a string of previous convictions for violence and aggression in public, including assaults on a taxi driver and a train station worker, and being abusive to London Ambulance Service paramedics.

Peter Spary, defending, argued the attack was not fuelled by race but by Cole's "dented pride".

"The xenophobia is a distasteful later addition to the action on the platform, it is not enlightened, it is abhorrent and unsustainable", he said.

The court heard Mr Pietraszek has struggled to find work since the attack as he is scared to use the Tube, and now suffers from psychological problems and anxiety.

Cole, of Poynter House, Queensdale Road, Shepherd’s Bush, admitted attempting to causing grievous bodily harm with intent, after a charge of attempted murder was dropped.

He will serve half his ten year sentence before being considered for release.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in