By James Simons-
A mentally ill Essex drug dealer tried to evade capture by police by driving along a railway track should have been in a mental ward.
Extraordinary scenes that saw 36 year old Kieron Francis drive on a railway track in a crazy attempt to evade police was one of the most alarming news of last week which implicitly highlighted the failing of the system in keeping a mentally ill man off the streets.
Experts say that Francis, who suffers from learning difficulties, should have been secure in a mental ward, not on the streets where he could easily endanger the lives of others.
Defence barrister Chantel Gaber argued Francis has not repeated his behaviour since the
She said: “He has mental health and learning difficulties. He suffers anxiety and depression and is in constant pain after an accident.
“It was a seemingly spur of the moment decision (to drive onto the track) – there was no plan.”
She said: “He has mental health and learning difficulties. He suffers anxiety and depression and is in constant pain after an accident.
“It was a seemingly spur of the moment decision (to drive onto the track) – there was no plan.”
On April 5, Kieron Francis, 36, was jailed for ten years after being convicted at St Albans Crown Court for endangering life by dangerous driving.
The 36-year-old had previously admitted supplying crack and heroin in the town, and had previously admitted dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, two offences of criminal damage, unlawfully driving on the railway tracks, assaulting an emergency worker, and abandoning the Land Rover.
The incident, which unfolded in front of shocked witnesses nearly two years ago, saw Francis crash through a level crossing barrier before driving down the railway tracks at Cheshunt Station.
After driving 200m down the line, Francis abandoned the Land Rover – which had fake number plates – and fled the authorities on foot.
Francis was eventually arrested nearly two weeks later by police and has been in custody since.
The court heard Francis’s actions caused 66 train cancellations, 4,800 minutes of delays, and cost Network Rail £47,700.
The Daily Mail, which covered the court case, reported how defence barrister Chantel Gaber argued Francis has not repeated his behaviour since the incident.
Video caught the moment Francis, of Fossway, Dagenham, fled from pole in a black Range Rover at high speed down rail tracks near Cheshunt train station in Hertfordshire, as commuters watched on in horror. He barged the 4×4 vehicle through a level crossing barrier stopping 200 metres down the track before abandoning the vehicle to run off on foot.
His actions caused 55 train cancellations that day on July 15, 2021, costing Network Rail a total of £47,700. The drama began that morning when a male and female police officer tried to stop the Range Rover at Cheshunt station and asked the driver to get out of the vehicle.
Passersby watched as the two officers tried to drag the driver out of the car only for it to reverse back at speed, knocking the male officer flying.
Mentally ill Francis had stolen the black Discovery vehicle from a Tesco car park in Essex four days before the incident.
Defence barrister Chantel Gaber argued Francis has not repeated his behaviour since the
She said: “He has mental health and learning difficulties. He suffers anxiety and depression and is in constant pain after an accident.
“It was a seemingly spur of the moment decision (to drive onto the track) – there was no plan.”
She said: “He has mental health and learning difficulties. He suffers anxiety and depression and is in constant pain after an accident.
“It was a seemingly spur of the moment decision (to drive onto the track) – there was no plan.”
More concerning is the fact that he should have not been allowed on the streets to drive a car, let alone deal drugs.
He was convicted on two counts of endangering life by driving the car on rail tracks and abandoning the vehicle. He also admitted supplying crack and heroin in Braintree, having served 22 previous convictions for 57 different offences.