Mathuram Mathuraja, 23, has been jailed for forcefully pushing a man onto train tracks at an Underground station in London. The trainee accountant has recently had his jail time increased by judges from a Court of Appeal.
Mathuraja, of Ealing, West London was working as a trainee accountant before the incident took place. He and the victim, Harsha Jayaskera, had been attending the same family event at Park Royal, and had got off from a tube travelling to Central London to attend an after party at a nightclub. However, Mathuraja then began to act violent and disorderly.
The judge viewed CCTV footage of him attempting to take his shirt off, eager for a fight. Others around him then attempted to restrain him, but he broke free. Mathuraja then ran up to Jayasekera, who was standing speaking to his Doctor wife, and pushed him onto live tracks where a train was shortly due.
The innocent Jayasekera hit his head against the ground and fainted, lying unconscious in the path of an oncoming train. However, passersby who saw the confrontation were able to pull him to safety before he could be harmed.
Judge Heather Norton QC, who sentenced the offender, said there could have been “horrific” results to the crime and it was simply “good fortune” Mr Jayasekera was not badly hurt. She also stated that being drunk was not an appropriate excuse for Mathuraja to not take responsibility for his actions.
Speaking after the hearing, Solicitor General Michael Ellis QC said: “The aggressive and deliberate actions of the offender caused the victim pain and could have ended his life.
Jayasekera was taken to Hospital and released the next day with no serious injuries. Mathuraja’s sentence was increased by the Court to 3 years imprisonment due to the serious nature of the offence.
