A fare-dodger who assaulted railway staff and spat in a police custody sergeant’s face has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.

Ricky Small, 23, a former assistant manager at Premier Inn in Rainham, assaulted railway staff and told them he was a trainee barrister when stopped at Rochester for not having a ticket.

Small, of Jeffery Street, Gillingham, travelled from his home to Rochester when platform staff approached him to see if he had a ticket but he was on his mobile phone and refused to talk.

He became confrontational, swore at railway staff and threatened that they would lose their jobs.

Small continued to ignore staff but they followed him as he tried to board a high-speed train before he became more aggressive and lashed out at three staff as they tried to move him away from the platform.

He squared up to one and then started throwing punches and kicks before hurling one of their radios onto the tracks.

He then tried to headbutt and spit at an off-duty police officer who came to their aid, and after being detained he continued to struggle and later back at the police station, after being put in cells, where he refused to calm down, he spat at a custody sergeant.

He admitted three counts of assault on train staff, one of assaulting a police officer and travelling on a railway without paying the fare when he appeared before magistrates in Medway in February.

He was back there earlier today after probation reports.

Debbie Jones, prosecuting, said: “When British Transport Police and officers from Kent Police arrived he tried to spit at them and then accused them of stealing £50 from him when they searched him.

“He was screaming at the top of his voice and continued to be aggressive.

“Later back at the police station when the custody sergeant went to his cell to calm him down he opened the hatch and the defendant spat in the face of the officer.”

When Small was interviewed about the matters later, he denied committing the offences but admitted he’d had a large amount to drink and told officers he was fine before the train staff came along.

Small said he was not currently working but may soon get a job at the Ship and Trades pub in Chatham Maritime regretted the incident. “I wish it had never happened. I wish I had never done it,” he said.

Magistrates placed him on a 12-month community involving 100 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to complete 20 hours of rehabilitation to address his behaviour and he was fined £80 for travelling on the railway without paying the fare.

Small was also ordered to pay £25 compensation to each of the three railway staff, £75 compensation to the custody sergeant and £250 costs.