Drunk Tube passenger who tried to throw a Notting Hill carnival-goer under a train faces jail for attempted murder
7 March 2023, 12:52 | Updated: 7 March 2023, 12:55
A drunken Tube passenger who tried to throw a woman going to the Notting Hill Carnival under a train has been found guilty of attempted murder.
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Arthur Hawrylewicz, 42, pleaded guilty to attempted murder at Inner London Crown Court on Monday. He will be sentenced on 24 April.
Hawrylewicz, of Avondale Gardens in Cardiff, was standing near the victim, 22, on the Hammersmith and City Line platform at King's Cross on August 29, and tried to strike up conversation.
The victim, who was standing with her friends, noticed that Hawrylewicz was drunk and told him she didn't want to talk.
He then grabbed hold of her from behind and tried to throw her and himself in front of the train as it pulled into the platform.
As he prepared to throw her, two of her friends rushed in and pulled her back to safety.
Forklift truck driver Hawrylewicz himself was dealt a glancing blow to the head by the train and was knocked out.
Officers arrested him as he was taken to hospital for treatment.
Hawrylewicz wasn't seriously hurt and police grilled him the next day.
He claimed he had knocked back three beers and a third of a bottle of vodka and had only wanted to hurt himself. He said he didn't even remember meeting the victim.
Detective Sergeant Mike Blakeburn of the British Transport Police said: “This was a completely unprovoked and incredibly disturbing attack which will have been beyond terrifying for the victim – a young woman who was on her way to enjoy a day at Notting Hill Carnival with her friends.
"Had it not been for their brave actions pulling her from Hawrylewicz’s clutches, we could easily have been dealing with a murder investigation.
“Hawrylewicz has never offered any explanation or rationale for why he did what he did and claimed throughout interview that he had no recollection of the incident, but the victim will have to live with this traumatic memory for the rest of her life.
"Thankfully he can now expect a significant custodial sentence where he’ll have plenty of time to consider the implications of his senseless and violent behaviour.
“As shocking as this incident it is important remember that events like this are incredibly rare on the railway network, and in this case BTP officers were on scene within minutes and able to quickly arrest Hawrylewicz and bring him into police custody where he’s remained throughout the investigation.”
