A man has been jailed for life for pushing a stranger in front of an oncoming train, and he's revealed why he did it.
Brwa Shorsh, 24, was convicted of attempted murder and was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum of eight years behind bars, per BBC News.
The incident occurred on February 3 when Shorsh shoved 61-year-old Tadeusz Potoczek off the platform at the busy southbound Victoria line at Oxford Circus station in London.
Potoczek narrowly avoided contact with the live rail and was pulled to safety by a passerby.
The quick-thinking actions of the bystander, whose identity was not disclosed, earned them a £1,000 reward from the judge at Inner London Crown Court.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) condemned the act, stating, "It is impossible to imagine anything that could ever justify pushing anyone in front of a train like that."
Shorsh, a Kurdish migrant, claimed during his trial that he was "angry" with the postman, alleging that Potoczek had given him a "dirty look." He delivered his testimony through an interpreter.
Maxine Jarrousse-Jones of the CPS highlighted the gravity of the situation, saying: "Brwa Shorsh attempted to kill the victim by deliberately and forcefully pushing him into the path of an approaching train.
"If not for the victim’s quick-thinking, the courage of the other passenger who came to his rescue, and the speed at which the train driver brought the train to a halt, Shorsh’s actions could have cost the victim his life."
She further stressed that commuters should be able to travel without the fear of such violence.
"I hope this sentencing is a reminder that such acts will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted as fully as the law allows," she added.
Detective Chief Inspector Sam Painter, who led the investigation, expressed satisfaction with the sentencing: "I am pleased with today’s result and wish to thank everyone involved in the investigation who quickly worked to identify and arrest Shorsh."
DCI Painter described Shorsh as "an extremely dangerous individual" and welcomed his removal from public life.
"It is hoped that this will provide some comfort and closure to his victim who continues to work toward his recovery from this terrifying encounter with Shorsh," he added.
Addressing Shorsh, Justice Kelleher said: "It is no exaggeration to say that this was an extremely dangerous criminal act that would strike fear into every traveller on the Underground. It follows a pattern of previous violent acts towards anyone who challenged you."
The court was told that Shorsh had entered the UK illegally in 2018 after fleeing Kurdistan.
He had originally applied for asylum in Germany and France, both of which refused his request, as reported by the Guardian.
Upon arriving in the UK, he was housed in Yorkshire but moved to London later that year. Since his arrival, Shorsh had accumulated a string of criminal offenses.
Shortly after his arrival in the UK, he committed a racially aggravated common assault and was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison.
Between 2019 and 2023, Shorsh was involved in five more incidents of assault or battery, along with an incident of threatening someone with a bike chain and three counts of outraging public decency.
Many of the assaults involved officers trying to move him from railway stations, according to the judge.
Shorsh's most recent offense occurred in November 2023, when he carried out an unprovoked attack on a female rail passenger, striking her on the back of the head.
During this period, Shorsh served six short prison sentences.
