Man abused train passengers and threatened them with a knife

Prosecutor Regan Walters told Swansea Crown Court that Jack Howden, of Kingsway in Teignmouth, got on the London Paddington to Carmarthen train at Swansea on December 9.

One witness described him as being “loud”, and Howden approached one group and started calling a person wearing glasses ‘specs’.

He then began talking loudly on the phone, and could be heard saying: ‘These Welsh c**** are really p****** me off. They’re laughing at me. I have enough sharps and blades on me to take them all out’.

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The court heard that several children were also present on the train at the time. Howden approached a 15-year-old boy and said: ‘What are you looking at?’, before saying: ‘Shut up little boy’ and threatening to castrate him.

Howden was then heard on another call saying: ‘I’m going to cut them up when I get off the train’.

The 15-year-old left the carriage to report this to the police and to the train staff.

When the train reached Carmarthen, the defendant waited on the platform. He was heard saying: ‘I’m waiting for this boy to get off the train who was mouthing me’.

Howden told police at the station he had been threatened with a knife on the train. When asked if he had a knife on him, he said he had a penknife he used for work in his bag.

Officers found a fixed-blade knife with a wooden handle and a four-inch blade in his bag and some cannabis, and was arrested.

When speaking with the probation service, Howden admitted he had been drinking spirits at the time.

The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to possession of a knife and affray, after admitting possession of cannabis in the magistrates’ court.

David Singh, for Howden, said the defendant was travelling to west Wales to carry out work on a vehicle.  

“This was appalling behaviour. There is absolutely no excuse,” he admitted.

“The defendant is realistic about his position.

“At 20, he has no previous convictions. He’s not committed any further offences.

“This was an isolated incident.”

Judge Huw Rees said the defendant’s behaviour was “nothing short of disgraceful”.

“There are too many people in this country wielding knives around and the courts do something about it,” he said.

“You need to grow up Mr Howden.

“Your choice of language was disgraceful.

“If that’s what you think of Welsh people, don’t bother coming to Wales.”

Judge Rees sentenced Howden to 12 months in a Young Offender Institute, suspended for 18 months. He must complete 180 hours of unpaid work, 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and a 90-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.