A RAIL passenger has a criminal conviction and has to pay £662 because of the way he reacted when asked for his ticket.

Gerard Spence, 53, travelled from his home town of Selby to Leeds on January 9, Doncaster Magistrates Court heard.

At Leeds, he was asked for his ticket.

Northern Trains Ltd told the court that Spence didn’t have one.

He started calling the ticket officer names including alleging that he was racist.

The rail company told the court Spence continued to be abusive despite being warned about his language. He did not reply to one letter asking him to explain his behaviour.

Northern Trains Ltd sent him a second letter and after receiving his response to it, did not send a third. It decided instead to prosecute him.

Spence, of Abbots Road, Selby, did not attend court but pleaded guilty by letter to unacceptable behaviour on the railway in that he used threatening, abusive, obscene or offensive language.

He was fined £466 and was ordered to pay a £46 statutory surcharge and £150 prosecution costs.

Spence was prosecuted under railway byelaws made under the Transport Act 2000 and the Railways Act 2005.