Dock man ran across rail track wearing stolen police hat

Geoffrey Hickey, 22, went up to the officer who was on duty outside Tenby Police station at around 8.20pm on August 6.

“He was unsteady on his feet, and was obviously drunk,” Crown Prosecutor Kelly Rivers told Haverfordwest magistrates.

“He kept asking an officer if he could wear his hat but he was told no, on numerous occasions.”

But Hickey proceeded to snatch the hat off the officer’s head. He then placed it on his own head and ran away from the police station towards the train tracks.

“He ran onto the live track heading towards Penally with the hat still on his head,” continued Ms Rivers.

But Hickey, of St Peters Road, Pembroke Dock, then got stuck in brambles that were growing alongside the railway line.

“The officers managed to reach him and found the hat at the bottom of the fence,” added Ms Rivers.

Hickey pleaded guilty to stealing the officer’s hat and to additional charges of being drunk and disorderly in a public place and of trespassing on the railway after being warned by police.

He was represented in court by Mr Tom Lloyd.

“This was extremely silly, foolish and juvenile behaviour,” he said.

“His sister had come over from Ireland, he hadn’t seen her for over a year, and he got excited.

“He consumed far more alcohol than he should have and he has no recollection of the incident.”

Mr Lloyd said that his client had consumed vodka ‘to excess’ throughout the evening.

“He was young, stupid, he was showing off and he was being silly.

“This could have been much worse, and he could even have been run over by a train.

"But the most serious offence here is the theft of a hat. My client just wants to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”

After considering the facts, magistrates fined Hickey £120. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £16 surcharge.

“I don’t think you’re going to make a career criminal,” commented presiding magistrate Mary Smith. “Pull yourself together.”