By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A drunken commuter has threatened to slit a train driver’s throat after forcing the carriage doors open and causing the service to be aborted, a court has heard.
Daniel Joseph Costanzo, of Fawkner, was chastised by a judge in Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 10 September for his “high degree of arrogance” during the incident.
He had prised his way on board by forcing apart the train’s closing doors at Dandenong station about 11.12 am on 9 September.
The train continued for several stops up to Springvale railway station. Passengers were ordered off the train, due to Costanzo’s act.
Costanzo approached the outside of the driver’s carriage, striking the window and door.
He told the driver: “I’m going to follow you home and slit your throat.”
Police arrested Costanzo after he left the station in Lightwood Road, seizing a small amount of cannabis from his pocket.
A defence lawyer told the court that the “alcohol-affected” Costanzo had drank a “fair amount” of red wine while visiting a friend in the Dandenong area.
He had caught the train to go home, and was angry that the train was “put out of commission”.
The lawyer argued that Costanzo had no intention to carry out his threat, and had no history of violence despite a lengthy criminal record.
He’d “come off” the drug ‘ice’ as part of a CISP treatment program two years ago.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen noted the impact on a train driver “doing nothing more than his job”.
“There’s a high degree of arrogance here.
“(Costanzo) disabled the train … so the driver couldn’t go any further.
“Then he threatens someone over his own behaviour.”
Mr Vandersteen noted police made no mention of Costanzo appearing drunk.
“If he’s alcohol affected like that on a Sunday morning, he’s clearly got other issues to deal with.”
Costanzo told the court that he “tried to walk away from the situation” after the incident.
“I honestly didn’t mean it. I was just mouthing off.”
Mr Vandersteen replied: “Well, (the driver) doesn’t know that.”
Costanzo was placed on a 12-month supervised community correction order.
He was ordered to do 175 hours of unpaid work and drug and alcohol treatment.
He faces unrelated charges including shoplifting at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 1 November.
