A London man has been found guilty of attempted murder after trying to push two people into the path of an oncoming train.
CCTV caught the attacks on camera, the first failing outright and the second sending 91-year-old Sir Robert Malpas flying onto the tracks, BBC News reports.
Paul Crossley, 46, from east London admitted he had taken crack cocaine the day before the attacks and was having a panic attack when he shoved Sir Robert.
Earlier in the day he had tried to push another passenger, Tobias French, onto the tracks, but Mr French managed to regain his balance before falling off the platform.
CCTV footage of the attacks drew gasps in court, showing Crossley brazenly walking behind his two victims and planting two hands on them for the shove.
Sir Robert sustained a fractured pelvis and a head wound. Riyad El Hussani, a bystander who leapt onto the tracks to save him, suffered a burn to his hand from touching the electrified rail, BBC News reports.
Mr French was uninjured.
British Transport Police have thanked the public for their help in avoiding a tragedy.
"We could have easily been dealing with a double-murder investigation had it not been for the brave actions of the public who stepped in and restrained Crossley, and assisted the victims," said Det Insp Darren Gough.
"I would like to remind the public that this type of incident is very rare and millions of journeys are made across the Underground without incident."
Crossley said he chose his victims at random and did not intend to kill them. He told the court his intention had been to scare Mr French, who he believed had looked at him oddly.
He had admitted to a charge of attempting to wound with intent against Sir Robert, but denied an alternative count of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr French.
A psychiatric report will be prepared for Crossley, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia when he was 17.
He will be sentenced on November 9.
Newshub.
