An unemployed painter and decorator from Chiswick who stole live cable from railway tracks - stopping 65 trains, causing £20,000 in damage andrisking a major collision - has been jailed for three years.

William Wiseman, 34, of St Thomas Road, pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Friday to three charges of cable theft and three counts of destroying property.

The court heard the thefts between January and March 2008 cut power to critical signals which in a worst case scenario could have resulted in two trains colliding. At the height of the thefts on January 5 he stole 50 metres of cable at Chiswick, causing delays which affected 59 trains and led to the cancellation of 21 services.

PC Bob Gee, of British Transport Police, said: "For very little financial gain he caused untold misery to thousands of commuters."

Wiseman was caught through his DNA found at the scene and CCTV footage.

Sentencing last Friday, Judge Michael Gledhill QC said he wanted to send a strong message that those who steal from the railway will receive a lengthy prison term.  He added: "The theft of cable and metalis increasing. The offence is now very prevalent. The consequences to innocent passengers are appalling."

Judge Gledhill also said that Wiseman, a father of three who was makinghis 40th court appearance, was 'totally oblivious' to the consequences and had 'no regard to the law or to society'.