A man who tried to stab a fellow passenger to death with a jagged Buckfast bottle in a “wholly murderous” strike on a crowded intercity train has been handed a 12-year prison sentence. Thomas Craig, 48, set upon a stranger with the bottle during a Glasgow to Dundee journey on February 16, 2024, pursuing him through the carriage and repeatedly hitting him on the head with the glass until it shattered, then using the jagged neck.
He then lashed out at the victim’s friend who tried to intervene, stabbing him in both the chest and head with the bottle. The court was told the second man sustained a wound near his heart and lost over two litres of blood after the assault. Craig was found guilty of assaulting the first man, Aaron Nelson, to the danger of his life and the attempted murder of Glen Lennon, the second man, following a Glasgow High Court trial in November.
Lord Arthurson issued an extended sentence of 12 years in custody and three years of supervision upon release when Craig returned to court for sentencing on Monday.
CCTV footage provided by British Transport Police (BTP) in December showed Craig charging through the train and raising his arm to smash the bottle down on one of the victims, before returning to a seat to swap his blood-stained jumper for a clean hoodie.
Lord Arthurson remarked: “On a busy train you launched an appallingly violent attack on two men who were complete strangers to you. Members of the public have every right to be able to travel on public transport safely and without fear.”
Describing the crime, which took place near Larbert station, he said: “You ran towards your first victim striking him on the neck with the bottle. The second man courageously came to the assistance of his friend.”
Lord Arthurson characterised the assault on the second man as “a wholly murderous attack.” He also praised other passengers who assisted Craig’s victims, including a nurse who helped while on board.
The court heard that the two victims were in their early twenties at the time. Police and paramedics met the Glasgow Queen Street to Dundee service at Larbert railway station, where both men received emergency treatment before being hospitalised.
Craig had been drinking for several hours and had also consumed cocaine before the incident, the court was informed.
Tony Graham KC, representing Craig, admitted there was no mitigation to offer but noted he is a man who has struggled with addiction and feels remorse.
He said: “He understands the damage he has done, he understands the suffering he has caused and he understands that those short moments on that train will live with and probably haunt forever his victims. This is a man who recognises he has done wrong. This is a man who recognises the potentially devastating consequences, averted in this case.”
BTP Detective Inspector Marc Francey stated on Monday: “I am extremely pleased with the result the court has handed down today – Craig acted with mindless aggression that day, attacking his two victims over a minor disagreement.
“His indiscriminate and thuggish actions could have resulted in far more severe consequences, and he will now face the consequences and spend the next 12 years behind bars.
“It is thanks only to luck and to the lifesaving work of the paramedics that Craig hasn’t been found guilty of something far worse. I hope this sentence brings a measure of closure to the victims and their families after such a brutal attack. Violence on the railway is utterly unacceptable, and we will relentlessly pursue offenders like Craig to ensure they face justice.”
