ANGRY that other passengers had been picking on him during a train journey through Somerset, a homeless man started shouting and swearing and was then asked to get off the train at Crewkerne railway station.

Michael Anthony Godfrey had been drinking and refused to leave, despite repeated requests from a police officer, and then told them they would have to remove his property which included a number of bags and his dog.

When he was eventually escorted onto the platform he told the officer to “f*** off” several times and then had to be pepper sprayed before he could be arrested.

The 28-year-old defendant, living care/of Glebe Close, Upton Pyne, Exeter, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly at Crewkerne railway station on December 9 when he appeared before District Judge David Taylor, sitting at Yeovil.

Prosecutor Emma Lenanton said that a police officer was on the platform at the railway station conducting enquiries when a train pulled up and a guard got off asking for assistance.

“He said he had a drunk man on board who was causing a nuisance to other passengers and then Godfrey appeared in the doorway and began to swear saying he was not getting off the train,” she said.

“He was unsteady on his feet, smelt of alcohol and was slurring his words and was also aggressive in his stance and looking towards the officer.

“He told the officer he would have to move his “f***ing stuff” and pointed at several bags and a dog but was told to get his belongings himself which he refused to do.”

The officer then started removing the bags, and following a further confrontation he took hold of the defendant’s arm and escorted him from the train.

Godfrey continued to swear repeatedly, telling the officer to f*** off several times and the officer had to push the defendant to his chest a number of times as he kept getting in his personal space.

“The officer was concerned about the defendant’s closeness to the trainline so arrested him for being drunk and disorderly and had to spray Godfrey to effect the arrest, assisted by two off-duty police officers who were nearby,” Miss Lenanton added.

Godfrey told the court that he had been travelling from Salisbury to Exeter with his dog when four other passengers began picking on him.

He said: “The guard did not witness this and then he was being abusive to me, and when the officer got on the train I just wanted to stay on and get off at the station I was meant to.

“I was swearing but was so frustrated about what happened and the officer then maced me and I dropped to the ground, although admit I was drunk.”

He said the other four passengers were not even questioned, although added that he was sorry for his behaviour.

District Judge Taylor said that whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation, the defendant had accepted his conduct was unacceptable and disorderly and he was also drunk.

“This behaviour would have had an impact on other entirely innocent people and it occurred on a public train and also involved public confrontation with a police officer,” he said.

Godfrey was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.