British Transport Police have confirmed that a man has been sentenced after causing almost £1 million worth of disruption to the rail network, following investigation.
Ashley Cox, 35, of Holmes Chapel, Cheshire East, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 2 April, where he received a 16-week custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months.
He had previously been convicted of interfering with key national infrastructure under Section 7 of the Public Order Act 2003.
At about 3:10 pm on Tuesday, 12 August 2025, Cox entered the trackside at Wandsworth Common railway station, South London, before attempting to evade officers and climbing onto a gantry.
He remained there for around two hours, causing widespread disruption, with multiple services delayed or cancelled in both directions and thousands of passengers affected.
He was charged on Saturday, 14 February 2026.
“Trespassing on the railway is incredibly dangerous. Trains in the south east are powered by the electric third rail, which carries 750 volts and is easily enough to kill or cause devastating life-changing injuries.
“We hope this sentence sends a message that trespassing on the railway will not be tolerated. Ashley Cox is lucky to be walking away with a suspended sentence as it could have ended in tragedy.
“Incidents like this are a stark reminder of how quickly things can go wrong, and why we always take trespass so seriously.”
Paul Langley, Head of Security, Crime and Resilience at Network Rail.
“We work hard every day to keep people safe and trains running. Ashley Cox’s actions not only put his own life at risk, but caused huge disruption for thousands of passengers trying to get home, or to see friends and family.”
Jenny Saunders, Customer Service Director for GTR.