A mentally ill man who pushed a global financial expert in front of a Tube train has admitted murder and has issued a ‘heartfelt apology’.
Alain Lesjongard, a 55-year-old compliance executive, was seriously injured when a District Line train ran him over at Bayswater Underground Station in central London.
Alan Alencar, 29, from Edinburgh, had been on day release from a mental health facility in Scotland and travelled to London to see his mother, who herself was in a psychiatric unit. Shortly after meeting with her, Alencar pushed Mr Lesjongard under the tracks.
Despite the driver applying the brakes, Mr Lesjongard, a father-of-two who lives in a £1million flat in Putney, west London, with his Deutsche Bank worker wife Monique Hubaille, was still hit.
He managed to crawl out from underneath the carriage and was taken to hospital with serious, but non-life threatening injuries.
Alencar appeared at the Old Bailey today to plead guilty to attempted murder.
His barrister, Andrew Forsyth said: ‘Mr Alencar wishes for me to send heartfelt apologies to Mr Lesjongard and his family for the difficulties they are suffering as a result.
Alan Alencar, 29, appeared in court today accused of shoving a global finance expert beneath a Tube train during rush hour
Alain Lesjongard, a 55-year-old compliance executive (left), was allegedly pushed in front of a train by Alan Alencar. Mr Lesjongard lives in a £1m flat with wife Monique Hubaille (right)
A mental health unit patient appeared in court today accused of shoving a stranger beneath a tube train during rush hour while on day release.
Mr Lesjongard, who lives in a £1 million flat in Putney (pictured) with his Deutsche Bank worker wife Monique Hubaille, managed to crawl out from underneath the carriage
‘It is clear Mr Alencar was, on any view, very seriously ill at the time of this incident.
‘He had been released on a temporary discharge from a facility where he was detained in Edinburgh. But he hadn’t taken his oral medication and he should have done.’
Alencar had been in a ‘bad way’ before his attack after going to visit his mother, who herself was in a psychiatric unit, his barrister said.
His doctor believed that he had been suffering from a ‘breakthrough psychosis at the time of the incident’.
Mr Forsyth said: ‘He doesn’t remember it in any detail, but describes being immediately regretful and remembers trying to indicate for the train to stop but that was futile in the circumstance.’
Alencar was remanded in custody until a sentencing hearing on March 9, where he could be held indefinitely in a secure mental health facility.
Mr Lesjongard describes himself as a ‘senior compliance executive with 25 years of global financial services experience working for major US banks’.
District Judge Tan Ikram said there had been no bail application and ordered Alencar to appear at Blackfriars Crown Court on December 1
It is understood he was previously head of international compliance for the US banking giant BNY Mellon.
The defendant, of Northcote Street, Edinburgh, is alleged to have ‘calmly’ walked away after pushing Mr Lesjongard.
The court heard Alencar was on day release from a mental institution in Scotland when the alleged attack happened.
During a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Alencar, who appeared in a grey tracksuit, spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.
He indicated through his defence counsel that he intended to plead not guilty to the offence.
District Judge Tan Ikram said there had been no bail application and ordered Alencar to appear at Blackfriars Crown Court on December 1.
The court heard Alencar was on day release from a mental institution in Scotland when the alleged attack happened
During a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Alencar, who appeared in a grey tracksuit, spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth
Alleged victim Alain Lesjongard, a 55-year-old compliance executive, was seriously injured when the westbound District Line train ran over him at Bayswater Underground Station
Mr Lesjongard was seriously injured at Bayswater tube station