A MAN knocked two other passengers out cold on a train journey, a court heard.
Gareth Lee Roberts, 23, and his partner had spent the day at Chester Races.
He was drunk on the crowded train going home and ended up assaulting two people.
Both victims were knocked unconscious during the incident on the train from Chester to Flint.
Violence spilled out of the train onto the platform at Flint when the Holyhead train stopped, Flintshire Magistrates Court at Mold was told.
Roberts, of Nant y Felin, Pentraeth, Anglesey, had earlier admitted two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following the incident on September 29 and appeared for sentence yesterday.
But District Judge Andrew Shaw said it was so serious he would commit the case for sentence to Mold Crown Court.
The judge said it was an assault in a public place, on a crowded train, and the two complainants had lost consciousness.
Roberts was rebailed in the meantime.
Prosecutor Matthew Ellis said Roberts and his partner had been at Chester Races and they were drunk when they caught the Holyhead train home.
The train was very busy, there were no seats available, and Roberts was standing in a crowded area at the rear of the train.
Mr Ellis said the victims, who were also under the influence of alcohol after a day at the races, were in the same area and there was a verbal disagreement.
Roberts put his arm around the neck of a man who had been minding his own business.
Roberts punched out at Richard Stephenson several times, knocking him unconscious and as a result a front tooth was knocked out.
He suffered pain and swelling to the jaw, fell backwards and was then, helped by another passenger, placed on the floor.
Adrian Owen helped Mr Stephenson who had not been aggressive at any stage.
The group were increasingly concerned about Roberts’ behaviour when the train stopped at Flint and Mr Owen approached him.
A fight developed, it spilled out onto the platform when Roberts head-butted Mr Owen.
Mr Ellis said both attacks had been unprovoked.
Mr Owen felt a sharp pain to the top of his head and did not know if he had been struck by a weapon.
He suffered a wound to the head, black eyes and a swollen jaw, he also lost consciousness.
The victim was vomiting and had headaches.
Arrested and interviewed, Roberts claimed he thought Mr Stephenson was going to punch him and he claimed he acted in self-defence.
He said Mr Owen dragged him off the train and he started fighting with him.
But when the CCTV from the train was later shown to him, he said “no comment”.
Dafydd Roberts defending, said Roberts accepted it was a serious matter but suggested the case could be dealt with at the magistrates’ court.
In a victim impact statement Mr Stephenson said the incident had put him off using public transport.
He had turned down the offer of a free drink in Chester because it involved using the train.
Mr Owen told in his victim impact statement how he was not as outgoing as he previously was and it had affected his confidence. He had suffered headaches and blurred vision.
He did not like to go to busy places and would panic if he did. He felt angry at the situation Roberts had caused and the way he felt since the incident.