A 33-year-old man shouted abuse at a train conductor and refused to show his ticket.

Brian McPherson, of Greenock, pled guilty to one charge at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week.

At around 5.30pm on July 20 last year, a conductor on the Ardrossan Harbour to Glasgow train asked to see McPherson’s ticket.

McPherson replied: “When I’m finished eating my chicken.”

He was asked again and said: “You heard me, when I’m f*****’ finished.”

He then pulled out a number of papers from his pocket, saying: “There’s my f*****’ ticket there.” It was a bus ticket but the conductor could see a train ticket had fallen down.

He decided to avoid further confrontation and leave it at that.

At Kilwinning Station, the ticket examiner heard McPherson shout: “Hold the door, hold the f*****’ door.”

He got off and on the train several times in an attempt to avoid the conductor, saying: “Are you going to get out of my face?” and other abuse. The driver and conductor decided to lock the doors until police arrived.

McPherson then repeatedly shouted: “I’ve got a f*****’ ticket” and “Yous are going to f******’ get it”.

McPherson’s solicitor, Ms McDonald, said: “He is a man who has particularly struggled with a drink and drug habit. He has no recollection of how he came to be in Kilwinning or Saltcoats. He accepts that by the description it could only have been him. He has not drank since then.”

She also said that her client was trying to change his life, having recently started a job training programme.

Sheriff Shirley Foran said: “You have a poor record. I have to say looking at it and then hearing your age I was surprised. You have this opportunity. You will have another chance but not if you continue.”

McPherson was given 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay the complainer £60 in compensation