Teen who threw rock at train sentenced after parents identify him

The 15-year-old boy was made the subject of a nine-month youth referral order after he admitted throwing the rock “for a laugh”.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was ordered to pay £100 compensation in a hearing at Sheffield Youth Court on November 23.

He admitted to pushing the rock off the bridge in Kilnhurst as a train approached on September 10.

It narrowly avoided the driver who, was showered with glass and debris from the impact.

The train was stopped and taken out of service for repairs, causing delays on the line.

The teen was identified by his parents following a media appeal issued by British Transport Police.

The cost of the damage to the train is estimated at around £500.

Det Con Ian Grice said: “Hopefully the defendant now realises the severity of his recklessness — the potentially fatal consequences and the implications for others because of this mindless act.

“It was sheer luck that the driver of the train came to no harm. Nevertheless this was still a terrifying experience.”

He added: “Any incident which endangers rail staff and the travelling public will be investigated robustly and as in this instance, offenders will be identified and brought before the courts.”

A spokesman for Northern said: “Thankfully in this case our driver was not seriously injured, but the incident highlights the potential consequences of such reckless action.

“And it is not just the risk of injury to rail staff and our customers that results from incidents of this nature.

“Aside from the cost of repairs, there is also the knock-on effect of having to take the damaged train out of service and the subsequent delays this causes, impacting on hundreds of passengers.”

He added: “We will continue to work with British Transport Police to identify those who put the safety and security of our staff and customers at risk and will also seek to work with schools across our network to educate children about the potential dangers of such behaviour.”