by Keith Hunt

A drunken thug has been jailed for two years for trying to push a rail worker in front of a moving train at a Medway station.
Terrified Matthew Middleton feared he was going to be crushed and needed three months off work to recover from the ordeal.
A judge said of the attack: “This was a highly reckless offence, potentially involving the death of the victim and using a train, in effect, as a weapon.”
Maidstone Crown Court heard the 24-year-old victim was working in the information box at Gillingham station during the late evening of April 16 when Daniel Barnes approached
him and swore, asking where the train was.
He continued to swear as Mr Middleton tried to ignore him. “He is well used to being abused at work late at night by people who are drunk,” said prosecutor Tetteh Turkson.
Barnes, 24, went over to two girls telling them he was going to Rainham. They advised him he needed to go to another platform but he remained at one and two.
He then approached Mr Middleton and threatened him as the 10.59pm train approached at about 10mph: “You are lucky I don’t put your head in front of that train.”
“The defendant went towards him and grabbed him round the throat and pushed him,” said Mr Turkson. “His back struck the train while it was still moving.
“It was somewhere towards the front of the train. Mr Middleton felt he would be pushed in front of the train as it was arriving.
“During a struggle, he managed to get away from the platform edge. The defendant punched out at him twice.”
A friend of Barnes, of Glencoe Road, Chatham, pulled him away. Barnes continued to shout at other rail workers.
“Mr Middleton was extremely distressed and upset,” said the prosecutor. “He was shaking uncontrollably and crying. He had to be taken home.”
The victim described in a statement how he was so profoundly affected that he was unable to return to work for three months. He was still receiving counselling.
“He said he feared he would die that day,” added Mr Turkson.
Barnes, who admitted assault causing actual bodily harm, had 18 convictions for 35 offences, including threatening behaviour, assault and being drunk and disorderly.