London train driver ‘fell asleep’ before Enfield derailment

The driver of a London Overground train which crashed through buffer zones in Enfield has been accused of falling asleep at the controls, a court heard.

Erkan Mehmet, 40, was at the helm of the morning service from Liverpool Street station to Enfield Town, which derailed on October 12 last year.

Following an investigation, the driver has now been charged with endangering the safety of passengers on the train and being unfit for work through drink or drugs.

Mehmet appeared at Highbury Corner Crown Court on Monday when his case was sent to Inner London Crown Court for a hearing.

According to the charges, Mehmet, of Waltham Abbey in Essex, is accused of “willful omission or negligence, namely falling asleep while the driver of a train service” of “endangering the safety of a person carried or on or on the track railway “.

In the second charge, he allegedly “worked on a railroad as a driver while unfit to perform that work through drink or drugs.”

At the court hearing, Mehmet entered a not guilty plea as the case went to trial by jury.

Two people were treated for injuries after the crash at Enfield Town station, while around 50 commuters had to be evacuated by firefighters.

At the time, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, promised “a full investigation to get to the bottom of it” as services at Enfield Town were suspended for the day.

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route manager for England, said: “At approximately 8.20am a train hit the buffer stop at Enfield Town at low speed.

“The driver is being treated for shock and there are reports of a few minor injuries.”

In a statement, Arriva Rail London said: “We always put the safety of our customers and colleagues first and we continue to assist investigations by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).”

Mehmet was released on unconditional bail by the court until a preliminary hearing at Inner London crown court on August 2.