Inquest Hears Man Struck by Jubilee Line Train After Falling at Stratford Station

A 72-year-old man who fell onto the tracks at Stratford station in east London was struck and killed by a Jubilee line train, an inquest at East London Coroner’s Court has heard. Brian Mitchell’s death on 26 December 2023 has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding multiple trains passing over his body before the fatal collision.

Mr Mitchell, who had 272mg of alcohol in his system—over three times the legal driving limit—fell onto the tracks at around 14:45 GMT. CCTV footage showed him attempting to lift himself back onto the platform, but jurors were told that his initial fall appeared to go unnoticed by staff.

Senior coroner Graeme Irvine said that Mr Mitchell had spent nearly an hour at the far end of the platform with his bag before the accident. He was dressed in dark clothing, which may have contributed to him not being seen by the train operators or station staff.

Dr Rebecca Charles, an inspector with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, told the inquest that Mr Mitchell could be seen on CCTV placing his hand on the platform edge in a failed attempt to stand. Minutes later, he was struck by the first train.

When asked if there was any evidence suggesting he was not killed by the first train, Dr Charles replied, "no." She explained that Jubilee line trains operate using automatic train operation, with drivers—referred to as train operators—monitoring the train as it accelerates and brakes automatically.

Dr Charles noted that the first train operator may have been distracted by another operator looking at Mr Mitchell’s bag as the train arrived, a phenomenon known as "inattentional blindness." Subsequent trains also failed to stop, including one where a customer service agent at Stratford saw Mr Mitchell’s body but did not act due to shock. One train operator reported seeing what they believed was a blow-up doll on the tracks, and communication issues led to another train passing without intervention.

Mr Mitchell had spent Christmas Day visiting a friend in Bushy, Hertfordshire, before apparently sleeping rough and attempting to reach crisis support on Christmas, when Shelter’s helpline was closed. He later took buses to Stanmore station and travelled on the Jubilee line to Stratford, using his Freedom Pass.

Claire Mann, Transport for London’s chief operating officer, said:

"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Mr Mitchell, who sadly died at Stratford Tube station. We are committed to learning from this tragic incident and we are assisting the coroner during the inquest."

Post-mortem results confirmed multiple blunt force injuries to the chest and head as the primary cause of death. The inquest also revealed that each of the four arriving train operators had no reason to leave their cabins as the trains reached Stratford, and the placement of Mr Mitchell’s body beneath the seventh carriage meant he would not have been visible to the outgoing drivers.

Image: RAIB