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| Ex-railway worker guilty of arson | Ex-railway worker guilty of arson |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A former rail worker has been found guilty of putting lives at risk during a spate of vandal attacks which caused widespread delays on the railways. | A former rail worker has been found guilty of putting lives at risk during a spate of vandal attacks which caused widespread delays on the railways. |
| Allan Nicol, 48, from Birmingham, admitted cutting cables and setting fire to signalling equipment in 12 attacks over 17 months in the Midlands. | Allan Nicol, 48, from Birmingham, admitted cutting cables and setting fire to signalling equipment in 12 attacks over 17 months in the Midlands. |
| But he had denied that one of the attacks, arson in a relay room in Staffordshire, put lives at risk. | But he had denied that one of the attacks, arson in a relay room in Staffordshire, put lives at risk. |
| The jury at Birmingham Crown Court is still deliberating on one more charge. | The jury at Birmingham Crown Court is still deliberating on one more charge. |
| Nichol, who worked for Network Rail and then a railways recruitment firm, also denies the charge of reckless criminal damage. | Nichol, who worked for Network Rail and then a railways recruitment firm, also denies the charge of reckless criminal damage. |
| The prosecution claimed a fire in 2005 in the relay room in Rugeley, which contained signalling equipment, could have caused an explosion. | |
| The court heard Nicol, from Yardley, was angry that Network Rail was not using the recruitment firm for which he worked and at being made redundant. | The court heard Nicol, from Yardley, was angry that Network Rail was not using the recruitment firm for which he worked and at being made redundant. |
| His vandalism cost the railway industry millions of pounds, with 6,933 train services cancelled or delayed. | His vandalism cost the railway industry millions of pounds, with 6,933 train services cancelled or delayed. |
| Some major routes, including the West Coast Main Line, were disrupted for several days. | Some major routes, including the West Coast Main Line, were disrupted for several days. |
| He was arrested after dropping a receipt for a snack at the scene of one fire in Rugeley, Staffordshire, which was started on 3 November 2005. | He was arrested after dropping a receipt for a snack at the scene of one fire in Rugeley, Staffordshire, which was started on 3 November 2005. |
| The vandalism attacks took place in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, the West Midlands and Worcestershire during 2004 and 2005, and had a knock-on effect over a massive area of the rail network. | The vandalism attacks took place in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, the West Midlands and Worcestershire during 2004 and 2005, and had a knock-on effect over a massive area of the rail network. |