Man accused of pushing postman on Tube tracks did not intend to kill, trial told

Kurdish migrant Brwa Shorsh, 24, allegedly shoved stranger Tadeusz Potoczek, 61, at Oxford Circus station

Oxford Circus tube underground station in central London (Getty Images)

A man accused of pushing a Tube passenger on to the tracks has told a court what he did was “scary” but it was not intended to kill.

Kurdish migrant Brwa Shorsh, 24, allegedly shoved stranger Tadeusz Potoczek, 61, at Oxford Circus station on February 3.

Mr Potoczek, a postman who was on his way home from work, narrowly missed touching the live rail on the southbound Victoria Line.

He was helped back up to the platform by another passenger and the driver of an oncoming train has said that “if he had been on the track a few seconds later, he would have been killed”, Inner London Crown Court has heard.

Shorsh has pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted murder and also denied an alternative count of attempted grievous bodily harm.

Giving evidence at his trial on Tuesday, Shorsh said he was “angry” after three women allegedly laughed at him for being homeless and he felt Mr Potoczek had given him a dirty look.

Shorsh told the court Mr Potoczek had been “very disrespectful to me” and he did not know a train was coming.

Prosecutor Sam Barker told him: “You pushed a man in front of a train for looking at you. Do you think that was an appropriate reaction?”

Shorsh replied: “I was double angry reaction, (starting from) the women and when he came and passed I became angry – so the two are related.”

He added: “I agree. It was scary what I did.”

On whether Mr Potoczek deserved this treatment, Shorsh said: “No, I can’t say it was right.”

Mr Potoczek has said he did not say anything to Shorsh at any time.

Shorsh had been sleeping rough in England, including inside Tube stations to keep warm, since 2020.

Stating Mr Potoczek had walked past and was looking straight ahead, Mr Barker described the incident as “a random piece of violence” against a man who “had done absolutely nothing wrong”.

On why he pushed Mr Potoczek so hard and on to the track, Shorsh said: “He made me angry and I hated him.”

Shorsh said he did not want to kill him.

Shorsh later told the court: “I am sorry for what happened. I did not intend to kill him and I am not a murderer.”

He told the court that in that split second, “I wanted revenge”.

Details from Shorsh’s police interview which were read out in court appear to suggest he thought his behaviour was justifiable, the prosecution say.

Mr Barker told the court: “He said he did not intend for the man to be hit by the approaching train or be electrocuted on the tracts, but that he was aware that both things could happen.

“He said he was particularly upset because three women had already look at him disrespectfully and he had told them to f*** off.

“He said that he was ‘really angry’ as a result, and when Mr Potoczek gave him a dirty look he was ‘not able to stand it any longer’.

“He said that it was not important for him at all if the man died or did not die, because he was a fool and disrespected him.

“The defendant said he was not drunk nor had he taken any drugs at the time of the incident.”

Earlier, Shorsh had told the jury he did not think about what would happen to Mr Potoczek and he did not want him to be hurt or die, saying: “I only showed my anger – that’s all.”

He said: “I did not want to hurt him. I did not want to do anything but I was angry and I thought he might hit me.”