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Man sentenced to 10 years for attempted murder after trying to throw woman in front of train

A MAN from Cardiff, Arthur Hawrylewicz, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempted murder after grabbing a woman on a Tube platform and trying to throw her in front of an oncoming train.

The incident occurred on August 22, 2022, on platform one of King’s Cross underground station in central London. Hawrylewicz was drunk, depressed, and suicidal at the time of the attack, but cannot explain why he targeted the young woman. He had travelled to London to work with a friend and had drunk three or four Polish beers and a third of a litre of vodka, which he had bought “for the road.”

Pharmacist Maria Osifeso was with friends waiting for a train to take her to the Notting Hill Carnival when she was approached by Hawrylewicz. The defendant began talking to her, but she had trouble understanding him and asked him to leave her alone. Hawrylewicz responded by staring at her, which made her feel uncomfortable. Moments later, as a train approached the station, Hawrylewicz approached Osifeso from behind, grabbed her in a “very firm bear hug,” and swung her towards the tracks. Osifeso’s friends began shouting at Hawrylewicz and were able to intervene and prevent her from being thrown onto the tracks.

During the struggle, Osifeso was able to break free, and the defendant was taken to the ground where he was kicked. He then moved towards the edge of the platform, where his head was struck by four consecutive carriages, and he was rendered unconscious. British Transport Police officers arrived at the scene within minutes and found Hawrylewicz being tended to by first-aiders. He regained consciousness after 10 minutes and was found to be in a “dazed” state and smelling strongly of alcohol.

In court, Hawrylewicz pleaded guilty to attempted murder. His lawyer argued that he was in a “confused and desperate” state at the time of the attack due to a combination of his emotional state, his intake of alcohol, and the busy Tube platform. Hawrylewicz, who has no previous convictions in the UK or in Poland, has worked as a builder since moving to the UK in 2015.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Osifeso described the “profound and long-lasting” effects of the incident. She said she had to take time off work and suffers from “almost overwhelming anxiety” when using the Tube and is “hyper-aware” of her surroundings. Osifeso said she continues to think about “what if?” and said it was “incredibly traumatic to think about how close I had come to dying” that day.

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The judge, Benedict Kelleher, told Hawrylewicz he had attempted to kill a young woman who was a stranger to him by throwing her in front of a moving train and it was only the fast reactions of Miss Osifeso’s friends that had stopped him. The judge noted that it was clear from the evidence that the defendant had intended to kill himself in the “shocking” incident and he was still not able to explain why he had tried to kill an innocent stranger.

Hawrylewicz was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with a discount for his guilty plea, which was entered on the first day of his trial. He will serve up to two-thirds of that sentence before being released. This tragic incident highlights the importance of being vigilant and aware of one’s surroundings, especially in crowded areas. It also underscores the need for mental health support for individuals struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts.

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