A leisure centre lifeguard who staged a two-hour protest on Chatham railway station roof, did it because he wanted to be on KentOnline.

Angry Lucas Nurden brought the network to a standstill on January 20 – costing Southeastern nearly £400,000 in damages and lost revenue.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how the "smug looking" protester jumped from a road bridge onto the roof after a bust-up with his lover at Medway Magistrates' Court.

The 21-year-old stomped up and down as police officers pleaded with him to come down.

Officials were forced to turn off the electricity and buses were turned away, as the laughing Nurden began waving to the crowd, said prosecutor Eleanor Scott-Davies.

But Nurden, who described himself as a sports officer at Strood Leisure Centre, replied: "I'd rather kill myself than be arrested."

The prosecutor said he then threatened to jump, saying: "I don't care...I want to cause as much disruption as possible because I am going to be arrested. I want to be on KentOnline."

Nurden, of Chancel Drive, Wainscott, admitted causing £15,785 of criminal damage and obstructing a train in breach of the Malicious Damage Act.

He eventually ended his protest at 5.35pm and was arrested but claimed he couldn't explain why he had done it.

He told the judge, Recorder Nicola Howard QC, he had been depressed "since the summer of 2019" and had suffered mental health problems.

Nurden, who represented himself after failing to get legal aid, added: "Since March, I have been a lot better...and my head is now clear."

A probation report said he had stopped using cannabis and alcohol and was tackling his suicidal feelings.

He was given a 12-month community order and ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work for the community.

The judge told him he had caused a "great deal of inconvenience" to a number of people "for something you barely remember doing".

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

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