Man Shoved Stranger onto Tube Tracks in Shocking Attack
A London court heard on Monday how postman Tadeusz Potoczek feared for his life after being pushed in front of a Tube train by a stranger at Oxford Circus station.
The Terrifying Moment at Oxford Circus
Brwa Shorsh, 24, who is homeless, stands trial accused of attempted murder for pushing Mr Potoczek onto the tracks. The victim was saved by a quick-thinking commuter just seconds before a train thundered into the platform.
Giving evidence, Mr Potoczek described the harrowing moment. He said: “I was on my way home from work when someone stood up sharply and then threw me. I felt a force on my left arm and found myself lying deep on the track. I saw the lights of the train coming and I thought, ‘I could lose my life.’”
He praised the “angel” commuter who grabbed his arm and pulled him back to safety. “I met him today and I say thank you,” Mr Potoczek added from behind a screen.
Attack Sparked by ‘Disrespectful Look’
Prosecutor Sam Barker described the assault as “shocking and random violence.” On February 3, Shorsh shoved the postman into the path of an oncoming train. The driver pulled the emergency brake just in time, spotting Mr Potoczek’s bright postman jacket.
After the attack, Shorsh fled but was arrested later that evening at Warren Street station. He admitted pushing Mr Potoczek, telling police it was because he felt disrespected by the postman’s “dirty look.”
Shorsh claimed he had already been upset by three women giving him dirty looks from a passing train, and when Mr Potoczek also looked at him disrespectfully, “he was not able to stand it any longer.”
Prosecution Demands Justice
Shorsh insisted he didn’t intend to kill, but admitted he understood the danger. “He said he did not care if Mr Potoczek died because he was a fool for disrespecting him,” said Mr Barker.
The prosecution argues there was no reason for Shorsh’s violent outburst and believes Mr Potoczek never even looked at him. “We have no idea why he behaved like this,” the prosecutor told the court.
The trial continues at Inner London Crown Court.
