Driver who derailed his Overground train after falling asleep jailed

A driver who derailed a London Overground train after falling asleep at the wheel has been jailed.

Erkan Mehmet was in control of the train on October 12 2021 when he pulled in to platform two at Enfield Town, the end of the line.

However, the 44-year-old failed to stop and crashed into the buffers, causing the front carriage to come off the tracks and get stuck at an angle about five feet in the air.

Around 50 passengers were on board the carriage at the time, with some reporting minor injuries and shock.

Mehmet was breathalysed without a result, but a urine sample tested positive for cocaine.

In an interview with detectives, he said he had never taken drugs and had fallen asleep at the wheel because he had only slept for a couple of hours the previous night.

The British Transport Police said the drug had probably entered Mehmet’s system in the 24 hours before the crash.

He pleaded guilty at Inner London Crown Court to endangering the safety of the railway, and was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison earlier today.

Detective Constable Gemma Littlewood said: ‘Train drivers are entrusted with the safety of every passenger onboard so it is frankly unthinkable that Mehmet turned up to work in a condition which left him falling asleep at the wheel, putting them all in significant danger.

‘It is only through luck that nobody was seriously injured or worse, killed, as a result of his actions that day.

‘Investigators have worked closely with Arriva Rail London, who fully supported the investigation, to ensure he has been brought before the courts to face justice and while incidents like this are rare, we will continue to relentlessly investigate anyone suspected of putting passengers in danger and hold them to account.’

Paul Hutchings, managing director at Arriva Rail London, said: ‘We take the safety and security of our customers and colleagues incredibly seriously.

‘We have a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol, which exceeds industry standards, and the driver involved was immediately suspended following the incident and subsequently dismissed after returning a positive test result.’

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