A 24-year-old man threw his milkshake at a train guard at Skipton Railway Station after being told to get off his bike, the town’s magistrates were told.

Daniel Clark was riding his cycle through people waiting for a train at Skipton at 4pm on November 28 when train conductor Roderick Holmes told him to stop, the court heard.

Mr Holmes told Clark to get off his bike and explained the risks, said Caroline Midgley, prosecuting.

Clark responded by telling Mr Holmes not to talk to him like that as he was a “public servant” and throwing his drink at the man's head, said Mrs Midgley.

Mr Holmes retorted that he was calling the police, to which Clark replied he was “bald and speccy-eyed”.

A woman on the platform at the time heard Clark respond rudely to the guard and also phoned the police, said Mrs Midgley.

She told the court that Mr Holmes had clearly been assaulted and abused while carrying out his duties and attempting to protect members of the public.

Clark, who admitted assault by beating, had been in Skipton for a dentist appointment, the court was told.

In mitigation, Glen Maude said Clark had been freewheeling on the platform and no one had been inconvenienced.

She said Clark had thought the guard had been abrupt, but accepted he should not have responded as he had done. In addition, he was a type one diabetic and could overeact when his blood sugar levels were not in order.

Clark, of Leeds Road, Shipley, was fined £50 and ordered to pay £50 compensation to Mr Holmes, costs of £85 and a £15 victims surcharge.