'˜Selfish' thug halted trains and stoned police in railway incident in Hartlepool

Dean Stallard caused two trains in Hartlepool to be delayed, and the rocks and missiles he threw damaged a police car and a signal box.

Stallard made his way onto the line at Powlett Road following a domestic incident, Teesside Crown Court heard.

“There was a fire at his property,” said Jenny Haigh, prosecuting.

“Stallard was under investigation for that, but he will not be facing any charges for it.

“Later that morning a member of the public alerted police to a man on the railway line who was behaving erratically.

“Officers arrived to find Stallard wielding an iron bar and throwing stones, bricks, and other missiles.

“Network Rail had to suspend two services for 48 minutes while Stallard was being dealt with.”

The court heard Stallard was eventually disarmed by armed police and police carrying riot shields.

“He made no comment when interviewed,” Ms Haigh added.

Stallard, 29, of Allerton Close, Hartlepool, admitted affray and criminal damage, both on January 23.

Laurie Scott, mitigating, said: “Mr Stallard’s partner continues to support him.

“If he is allowed his liberty today, he has the offer of a full-time job which is something that has been lacking in his life in the last few years.

“There is two sides to Mr Stallard, for the most part he is a devoted partner and father.

“But he changes when things get on top of him, when he cannot cope he resorts to drugs.

“He had taken drugs on this day and went to the railway line with the intention of taking his own life.”

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton told him: “The observation by your counsel you are a man of two sides is a correct.

“When something goes wrong you thrash about, hurting someone or damaging property.

“Essentially, you are a selfish individual.”