Builder felt electricity going though his body after he was pushed on to the tracks

A football fan who pushed a stranger onto tube tracks in revenge for Russian Ultras attacking England supporters was jailed for ten years as a judge blasted his ‘absurd’ bid to uphold his country’s reputation.

Former financial analyst Christopher Cole, 32, wrongly believed Polish builder David Pietraszek was Russian when he attacked him at Bond Street Station on 9 June.

Mr Pietraszek, 21, had earlier stepped in and put Cole in a headlock when the drunken yob was being abusive to other passengers on the Central Line.

Shocking CCTV captures Cole, who has 18 previous convictions for violence, follow Mr Pietraszek before shoving him off a Jubilee Line platform in front of horrified onlookers.

The victim said he could feel electricity coursing through his body and hear the train thundering towards him

His life may have been saved by his rubber soled boots as he managed to pull himself to safety 30 seconds before the train pulled into the station.

He was taken to St Mary’s Hospital with a broken finger and bruising to his back so severe it was initially thought to be burns.

Cole, who had been working as a labourer at the time after losing his job in the city, told police: ‘I shouldn’t have tried to do the country’s work.’

Prosecutor Deanna Heer said: ‘He thought Mr Pietraszek was Russian and was upset over the behaviour of Russian fans at Euro 2016 in France and that was playing on his mind.

‘He said English people have a reputation for being wussies and everyone else who comes here thinks they can do what they want.

‘He also mentioned someone wearing a poppy being stabbed in Leytonstone, the Lee Rigby killing and Britain leaving the EU.’

Cole denied attempted murder, but admitted attempting to cause grievous bodily harm at the Old Bailey.

Cole gave police in court the thumbs up and said ‘cheers’ after Judge Richard Hone QC sentenced him to ten years’ imprisonment.

‘Your interview does you absolutely no credit at all and you appear to be admitting you were acting in revenge or retaliation for some absurd idea you were in some way upholding the reputation of this country, which is completely absurd,’ the judge told him.

‘What you did to the victim has had an ongoing and lasting effect because he is still unable to return to full time work. He has suffered both financial and psychological harm.

‘Although the injuries are a fractured finger and very serious bruises, the shock of being cast onto a live electrical line and feeling the electricity run through his body and not knowing whether it was going to kill him or not does place this at the top of the scale.

‘What you did, as we can see on the CCTV was really shocking.’

The prosecutor said: ‘On 9 June the victim entered Ealing Broadway Station at 9pm travelling home from work.’

‘The defendant got on at North Acton, appeared to be drunk and was abusing other passengers.’

‘The victim held him in a headlock before letting him go and the defendant sat back down.’

‘The defendant then got off the train and followed the victim to the Jubilee Line.

‘Mr Cole then attempted to pull the victim towards the escalators but the victim broke free.

‘He then ran up behind him and pushed him with force in the middle of his back so the victim ended up in the middle of the tracks.

‘The victim said he could feel electricity travelling through his body and could hear a train coming.

‘Somehow he managed to pull himself back onto the platform.’

The whole incident was captured on CCTV and Cole’s saliva was found on Mr Pietraszek’s t-shirt.

Cole had a warrant out for his arrest for not showing up at Ipswich Crown Court for assaulting his partner at the time of the attack on Mr Pietrasek.

Peter Spary, for Cole, insisted his client’s behaviour was not racially motivated.

‘It was motivated because, in effect, his manhood was dented,’ he added.

Cole, of Queensdale Road, Shepherd’s Bush, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.