Eyelash-glue sniffer climbed onto Leeds railway line that triggered delays for more than 300 trains

Masood Mohammed dangerously placed chunks of concrete on the lines after climbing onto the viaduct between Duke Street and Marsh Lane on the morning of August 28 last year, then refused to come down.

Leeds Crown Court was told that the police were called after Network Rail reported him on the lines shortly before 9am.

The 32-year-old climbed up the ladders of a signal gantry and was seen to be sniffing the glue used to attach fake eyelashes.

Mohammed was giving passers-by the middle finger and making gun gestures with his hands.

He later admitted to officers that he had smoked cannabis. He eventually relented after an hour and climbed down to give himself up.

The estimated cost was £136,204, prosecutor Marte Alnaes said. It was later heard that 327 trains were delayed, with 36 being cancelled.

Mohammed, of Charlton Street, Richmond Hill, admitted an offence of obstructing an engine.

He has two previous convictions for nine offences, six of which are for criminal damage.

Mitigating, Philip Mahoney said that Mohammed had been on remand since his arrest and only recently was given the all-clear to enter a plea due to major concerns about his mental health.

He was diagnosed with schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the latter stemming from events he witnessed in his home country of Iran.

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Judge Kate Rayfield told Mohammed: “It cost an awful lot of people a great inconvenience and expense.

“It happened at peak commuter time. It will have meant many businesses were affected.

“It’s clear to see how serious this offence is. I agree it would not have happened if your mental health had been more stable at the time.”

She said that given he had been on remand for six months, she handed him a 12-month community order and 20 rehabilitation days with probation.