Matthew Sayle jailed for threatening to stab train passenger with pen

A Bexley man has been jailed after he held a pen close to a brave train passenger’s neck and told him he would be stabbed, a court has heard.

Matthew Sayle, 37, was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court to seven months in jail after a terrifying incident on a south Sydney train. Picture: Facebook

A Bexley man has been jailed after he held a pen close to a brave train passenger’s neck and threatened to stab him, a court has heard.

Matthew Sayle, 37, was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court to seven months in jail after a terrifying incident on a south Sydney train.

Agreed facts tendered to court said a woman was on a train travelling through Miranda train station on March 15 this year about 3.30pm when she ran up the stairs and hid behind a man out of view from Sayle, who was yelling at her from the lower carriage.

The man saw Sayle, who said “I was just asking for the time” but the woman appeared nervous and silent.

About a minute later, Sayle stood up, made eye contact with the man and continued to yell at the woman before the man said, “that’s enough, sit down, be quiet”.

The incident happened on a south Sydney train.

Sayle responded with, “yes sir” and sat down before a short time later he went up the stairs and asked the man when he was getting off the train.

The man said “at the next stop” before he exited the train.

Sayle also exited and with his left hand gripped the man’s shoulder from behind.

Sayle held a pen with the metal tip pointed about 10cm from the man’s neck, documents said.

He said, “the last person who spoke to me like that, I stabbed them in the neck and eye”.

The man yelled out for help saying, “security, this man is threatening to stab me” and moved towards a rail staff worker.

Sayle moved away but waved the pen around before he threw it onto the platform in front of the victim and said, “you’re not so brave now”.

Another train user thanked the man for standing up to Sayle.

Sayle walked away and boarded another train and the man reported the incident at Hurstville police station.

Sayle was arrested the next day.

Officers obtained CCTV of the incident and immediately recognised Sayle from several prior interactions with him on the rail network.

He was arrested the next day where he made full admissions to the offences and was remorseful, documents said.

Sayle pleaded guilty to intimidation, wilfully interfering with the comfort or safety of others and common assault.

Sayle also pleaded guilty to unrelated incidents of common assault at a pharmacy where he threw a slurpy towards a pharmacist and he also stole $36 worth of products from a Woolworths.

The court heard Sayle was a regular drug user who made “superficial attempts” to get clean including self discharging early from a rehabilitation program.

Magistrate Philip Stewart noted Sayle had mental health issues including drug-induced schizophrenia for which he received depot injections.

Mr Stewart noted Sayle was “unmotivated to address his drug and mental health issues,” had a lengthy criminal history and only a full time custodial sentence was appropriate, adding the community needed protection.

Sayle was sentenced, which was backdated to arrest. He will be released to parole on October 15.