'No reason' for Sir Robert Malpas Tube track 'push'

Sir Robert Malpas was knighted by the Queen in 1998

A man was having a "panic attack" when he pushed a former Eurotunnel boss on to the Tube tracks, a court has heard.

Paul Crossley told the Old Bailey he had no reason for targeting Sir Robert Malpas, who was shoved on to the rails at Marble Arch station on 27 April.

He also said he pushed another passenger on the same day because the man "looked at him a bit funny".

Mr Crossley, 46, from Leyton, east London, denies two counts of attempted murder and attempting to cause GBH.

Sir Robert was rescued by a passer-by, but left with a fractured pelvis and a gash to the head requiring 12 stitches.

Jurors were told Mr Crossley had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia when he was 17 and last received a depot injection for his illness on 10 April.

Mr Crossley said he had intended "just to push [Sir Robert] over on to the floor".

Asked why he had pushed Sir Robert, he said: "I don't know. I had a panic attack and an allergic reaction to the depot injection."

Earlier that day, Mr Crossley pushed another Tube passenger, Tobias French, who had managed to keep his balance as a train pulled into Tottenham Court Road station, the court heard.

"He looked at me a bit funny as I walked down the platform," said Mr Crossley, who told jurors he had only meant "to scare him".

Mr Crossley said he felt paranoid and began hearing voices while on a Central Line train to the West End where he planned to get coffee.

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The court heard Mr Crossley told members of the public who detained him: "It's not right, I know it's wrong."

Later, Mr Crossley said to police: "I didn't get much sleep last night."

He explained to jurors he was struggling to sleep every other day.

Mr Crossley has pleaded guilty to a wounding charge in relation to the attack on Sir Robert.

The trial continues.