Railway station robber jailed after bottle attack on passenger

A violent robbery at a Scottish railway station has resulted in a prison sentence after a man launched a brutal assault on another passenger before stealing a large sum of cash.

Craig Richardson, 41, of Park Crescent in Strathaven, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Wednesday 31 December 2025, where he pleaded guilty to charges of Robbery and Assault. He was sentenced that day to 20 months’ imprisonment following an investigation by British Transport Police.

The court heard the attack took place shortly before 8.30pm on 1 September 2025 at Hamilton Central railway station. Richardson was loitering on the concourse when he noticed the victim walking past while speaking on his phone. He then turned back and followed the man into a sheltered waiting area.

Once there, Richardson seized the victim by the head and slammed it into a ticket machine. As the victim fell to the ground, Richardson demanded his bag, before taking his wallet containing £1,200. The assault continued as Richardson repeatedly punched the victim to the back of the head.

The violence escalated further when Richardson produced a bottle of Buckfast from his trouser pocket and struck the victim with it. He later fled the station, but was pursued by the victim, who confronted him nearby. Richardson again brandished the bottle, threatening the victim and forcing him to keep his distance.

British Transport Police launched an immediate investigation, with officers reviewing extensive CCTV footage from the station and surrounding area. The footage allowed detectives to identify Richardson and track his movements before and after the attack. He was arrested on Tuesday 23 September and appeared in court the following day.

BTP Detective Constable Finlay Bruce said:

"Richardson acted with incredible aggression, and his relentless and crazed assault could have resulted in significantly more serious injuries for the victim. His attack was also clearly premeditated - he watched his victim walk past him and stalked him through the station before attacking him in front of another terrified member of the public. His shameless and brutal assault will stay with the victim for some time, and I hope the sentence brings his victim some sense of closure. We take every report of violence on the railway network extremely seriously, and I encourage anyone who is the victim of, or witness to, an incident to report it to us - our officers will conduct immediate enquiries to trace offenders, taking advantage of the wealth of CCTV footage we have access to."

Image: British Transport Police