75mph danger driver in near-miss at railway crossing

James Hill, 23, overtook stationary cars as he sped towards the crossing before missing the train, which was travelling between Shrewsbury and Mid Wales, by just 30 seconds.

Ex-soldier Hill, who was driving an Audi TT, admitted one charge of dangerous driving.

He was handed an eight-month suspended jail term and ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work. He was also banned from driving for 18 months, told to take an extended re-test and must pay £1,200 costs.

Judge Niclas Parry, sitting at Caernarfon Crown Court, told Hill he had put lives at risk by his actions at the Buttington crossing on the A458 near Welshpool.

Judge Parry said: "To describe your actions as a moment of madness would be a gross understatement.

"It beggars belief you saw fit to overtake a line of stationary cars at a level crossing, crossing double white lines in order to do that, and having seen lights flashing and a barrier coming down. You put lives at real risk."

He told the court that Hill, of Maesymeillion, Llandysul, Dyfed, had served in "testing tours" in Afghanistan then trained as a lorry driver.

"There's no doubt you have acted out of character," he declared.

"Mercifully no injuries were caused and the train driver didn't even see the Audi," Judge Parry added.

Prosecutor Richard Edwards said Hill went through the A458 Buttington automatic level crossing, near Welshpool, on the afternoon of March 7. A 40-tonne, four-carriage Arriva train which could carry 200 passengers passed less than half a minute later.

Hill continued on towards Welshpool and a witness took the Audi's registration.

Mr Edwards said it would have taken a third of a mile to stop the train.

"The defendant confirmed he was the driver at the time and said he didn't fully appreciate the danger," Mr Edwards added.

Simon Rogers, for Hill, said: "There's no doubt what this defendant did was incredibly stupid. He placed not only his life at risk but also those travelling on the train."

The incident happened close to where a tractor and a train were in collision in July 2013. Two passengers needed hospital treatment after the train collided with the trailer.

There were 140 passengers on the Arriva Trains Wales service travelling between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth when the collision took place at Buttington.

John Elwyn Roberts, 74, of Oldford Rise, Welshpool, denied a charge of endangering the safety of train passengers and crew at a hearing earlier this year and will stand trial.