Man sentenced after causing panic at Wolverhampton Railway Station with toy revolver

The railway station was evacuated on May 10 last year after staff spotted Richard Frett, 37, acting suspiciously on a train from Birmingham to Wolverhampton.

Armed police descended on the station as passengers were shepherded out of the exits. Officers cornered Frett and arrested him.

The imitation firearm was "a revolver style toy gun" which easily could be mistaken for a real firearm.

Trains were also prevented from pulling into Wolverhampton Railway Station while the incident was dealt with.

The station was closed for almost two hours and passengers had to endure delays into the early evening, with knock-on effects causing delays to services across the country.

Ben Holleron, 36, from Wolverhampton, was in the station at the time.

He said: "It all happened so quick. My train was about to pull in to go to Manchester.

"We were on platform two and the police asked us to evacuate platform two," he said, before adding he heard officers say "get everybody off now".

"They kicked everybody out the station at that point."

Frett was charged with possession of an imitation firearm in a public place and obstructing a rail engine due to the delays to services caused.

The obstruction of a railway service is an offence which dates back to the Victorian era. Frett was charged contrary to section 36 of the Malicious Damage Act 1861.

Frett, of Hincks Street, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to both charges and was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday.

He was handed an 18-month community order and ordered to pay £114 for possession of an imitation firearm and did not receive further punishment for obstruction of an engine.