Tube pusher went on ‘spree of violence’ against strangers on London Underground, court hears

A Tube passenger went on a 35-minute “spree of violence” against strangers on the London Underground, a court has heard.

On a Thursday morning at Baker Street Underground station Donovan Kenlyn, 39, “chased and punched” Tube passenger Samer Jawad.

Minutes later Kenlyn got off a train at Finchley Road station and “propelled” Angel Cambeiro onto the rails, narrowly missing the ones that were live.

He then travelled to nearby West Hampstead station where he struck a third complainant, Peter Acton. None of the three men knew the defendant.

Kenlyn accepts that he was involved in all three incidents but denies the charges because he was suffering with schizophrenia.

Judge Philip Katz KC told the jury: “The physical actions aren’t in dispute, this is a case where you will be considering mental health, at least”.

Opening the trial at the Old Bailey on Thursday, prosecutor Michael Williams said: “On the morning of Thursday October 27 2022, the defendant Donovan Kenlyn undertook a spree of violence against members of the public on the London Underground.”

He said the spree lasted 35 minutes and was “without any known motive”.

He said: “It is accepted on behalf of the defendant that he was the man who punched Mr Jawad, who caused Mr Cambeiro to fall onto the tracks, and who struck Mr Acton.”

Shortly after 10am, Kenlyn got on the Central Line at Hanger Lane Underground station, west London - the closest stop to his house at the time.

An hour and 20 minutes later he was seen on CCTV at Baker Street wearing a bobble hat and dark clothing.

Mr Jawad was visiting London and travelling to the station to meet a friend at nearby Regent’s Park.

When he went to depart the Bakerloo Line train he “felt a presence to his left” and saw Kenlyn who had not been on board until then, Mr Williams said.

The prosecutor said Kenlyn was “furious” and started hurling “aggressive abuse towards him for no reason”, accusing him of “saying something” including “did you say black?”

The complainant ran down the platform and shouted “I didn’t say anything, I’m sorry”, Mr Williams said.

He fell and CCTV footage played to the court showed Mr Sawad on the floor and Kenlyn punching him while he was on the ground.

Fellow passengers tried to intervene and the complainant again tried to flee, but Kenlyn knocked him down.

Mr Williams said that Mr Jawad suffered no significant injuries but it was a “very frightening incident”.

Within nine minutes Kenlyn was at Finchley Road station - three stops away on the Jubilee or one on the Metropolitan line.

Mr Williams said Mr Cambeiro spotted Kenlyn “looking aggressive” and walking towards him along the platform with a clenched fist.

The defendant raised his fist and the next thing Mr Cambeiro knew he was on the tracks with a dislocated and broken elbow, the prosecutor added.

Mr Williams said: “Mr Cambeiro confirms that without the help of the staff and his fellow passengers he would have simply been unable to get back onto the platform, owing to the injuries in his right arm.”

Minutes later at West Hampstead station, Kenlyn ran into a carriage after Mr Acton and struck him, causing him to fall onto the seat dividers and fracture his ribs.

Kenlyn, of North Circular Road, Ealing, left the carriage after striking Mr Acton and by 1.45pm that day he had returned to the stop by his house.

Mr Williams said: “Mr Acton got off at Finchley Road and reported what had happened to him, and of course there were then employees and police there dealing with what had just had happened at that station”.

Kenlyn is charged with attempted murder and assault causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Cambeiro, of assault occasioning actual bodily harm to Mr Acton and assault by beating against a Mr Jawad.

He denies the charges.

Additional reporting by PA