A homeless man who pushed a stranger onto the Tube tracks at Oxford Circus claimed he did it because the man gave him a dirty look. 

Brwa Shorsh, 24, is on trial accused of attempting to murder Tadeusz Potoczek. 

On Monday (July 29) prosecutor Sam Barker told the jury: “This is a case about shocking and random violence. On February 3, 2024, the defendant pushed a total stranger off the platform at Oxford Circus station into the path of an oncoming train.”

Mr Potoczek was pulled to safety by another commuter moments before disaster. 

When he was arrested, Shorsh told officers the man had “looked at him disrespectfully”. 

Shorsh denies attempted murder and an alternative charge of attempted grievous bodily harm. 

Mr Potoczek was on the Oxford Circus Victoria Line southbound platform at around 3pm. 

As he walked to the far end of the platform where trains enter the station he noticed Shorsh, who was sitting on a platform bench and did not appear to be getting on or off any train. 

“As he drew level with him, Mr Shorsh without a word, without an explanation, or importantly any sort of provocation, leapt up and shoved him hard off the platform onto the tracks,” Mr Barker said.

Mr Potoczek managed not to fall forwards onto the electrified lines but instead stayed on his feet and dropped into the gap on the line. 

“To his horror, a train was coming into the station. It was actually at the mouth of the platform entrance,” Mr Barker said. 

Mr Potoczek was pulled to safety by another commuter, who described Shorsh as shouting: “What the f*** are you doing here?” 

The Tube driver, who pulled the emergency brake when he spotted Mr Potoczek’s bright postman jacket, said he was only a matter of seconds away from disaster. 

Shorsh fled before police arrived but was arrested at Warren Street station at around 10.20pm the same evening. 

Mr Barker told the jury that when Shorsh was interviewed he admitted he had pushed the man onto the tracks. 

“He said he had done it because the man had given him a dirty look and he felt disrespected,” Mr Barker said. 

Shorsh further explained that he was already particularly upset because three young women on a passing train had looked at him disrespectfully, so he “was not able to stand it any longer” when he thought Mr Potoczek gave him a dirty look. 

The defendant said he had not intended to kill Mr Potoczek but was aware of the danger. 

“He said he did not care at all if the man died or did not die, because he was a fool for disrespecting him,” Mr Barker said. 

Mr Barker said the prosecution’s case is that the victim did not even look at Shorsh. 

“The prosecution have no idea why he behaved like this. No idea at all. The truth of it may be that there was no reason,” Mr Barker said. 

The trial at Inner London Crown Court continues.