Brwa Shorsh, a 24-year-old homeless Kurdish migrant, has been found guilty of attempted murder after he pushed postman Tadeusz Potoczek onto the Tube tracks at Oxford Circus.
The incident occurred on February 3 when Shorsh, who had been sleeping on a bench at the Victoria line platform, suddenly attacked Mr. Potoczek.
Mr. Potoczek, 61, managed to climb back onto the platform with the help of bystanders just as a train was approaching.
Shorsh admitted to pushing Mr. Potoczek but denied intending to kill him, claiming he had no plan to cause harm.
The court heard that Shorsh was angry after believing three women on a passing train had disrespected him. He told police he shoved Mr. Potoczek because he thought the postman had given him a dirty look.
Prosecutor Sam Barker described the attack as “shocking and random violence,” stating that pushing someone in front of a train typically indicates an intent to kill.
Fortunately, Mr. Potoczek avoided injury due to the quick response of the public and the train driver, who applied the emergency brake in time.
Shorsh was arrested at Warren Street station that evening. During his court testimony, he admitted he was very angry and regretted his actions, but he claimed he did not intend for Mr. Potoczek to be hit by the train.
Shorsh, who had been homeless in England since 2020, denied having the intention to kill or cause severe harm but expressed regret for his actions.
He was found guilty of attempted murder after a brief deliberation by the jury and will be sentenced on September 26. Judge Benedict Kelleher warned that a lengthy prison sentence would follow.
