A bomb hoax, arson and sexual assault are just some of the hundreds of offences recorded at the region’s railway stations.

Data released to the Leader following a Freedom of Information request has revealed how more than 500 crimes have been recorded at train stations in Wrexham and Flintshire between 2013 and November last year.

Of the 511 offences logged by British Transport Police officers, 51 were assaults against station staff, with just 14 of those resulting in
a sanction such as a
person being charged or cautioned.

The most crimes were recorded at Wrexham General with 140 offences between January 2013 and November 2017.

Trespass was the station’s most common offence, with 35 recorded instances.

In comparison, Buckley and Cefn-y-Bedd were the region's quietest commuter stop with just six events logged in the last four years.

The highest number of cases of abuse and/or assault against railway station staff was recorded at Flint with 17 – including three in January last year alone.

Of those sanctioned for assault or abuse, five people were cautioned between December 2014 and August 2016, while one man was given a caution in July
2013.

On two occasions in 2014, sexual offences were committed at the region's stations, including the breach of a sex offenders order at Flint in April and a sexual assault on a female in February.

An occurrence of an individual pursuing “a course of conduct that amounts to stalking” was logged in October 2017 at Wrexham Central.

In August last year, officers attended Wrexham General station to a call out relating to an individual communicating false information alleging the presence of a bomb.

Arson to a building was reported at Shotton in March 2014.

Sixteen passengers were noted as attempting to committing travel fraud or attempting to travel without a ticket at six stations – Wrexham General and Shotton being the most frequent stops for offenders with six caught at each.