A RAILWAY station sex attacker who left his 17-year-old victim severely traumatised has been jailed for two years.

Wayne Eccleston, 34, pushed his hand up the teenager's skirt as she sat on a bench on Platform One at Skipton Station and made an "appalling" threat of obscene violence, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Eccleston, who was drunk, targeted the girl in daylight when she was alone, prosecutor Mark Brookes said.

He pleaded guilty at Skipton Magistrates' Court to sexually assault on April 26.

Eccleston jumped bail and failed to attend for his sentencing hearing at the crown court last month which led to him being arrested and appearing in the dock from custody.

Eccleston, of Delaney Court, Settle, showed no emotion as he was led to the cells.

He was not legally represented and told the judge, Recorder Ben Nolan QC, he had nothing to say about the offence or its effect on his victim.

Recorder Nolan ordered Eccleston to sign on the sex offender register for indefinite period and he made a restraining order banning him from approaching or contacting the girl.

The court heard that Eccleston put his hand on the teenager's leg under her skirt and pushed it up towards her private parts.

Recorder Nolan said: "You made an appalling expression of a threat of violence to her."

In her victim personal statement, the girl said she had been left severely traumatised and a changed person after the assault.

She suffered panic attacks and had taken to wearing baggy clothes in place of her usual skirts.

She saw everyone as a threat and had sought counselling at school.

Her panic attacks left her paralysed with fear, unable to breathe and feeling like she was going to die.

Recorder Nolan said the assault had also severely impacted on the girl's college work.

"She is very seriously affected by your conduct," he told Eccleston.

"You targeted a vulnerable victim at a railway station where the travelling public are entitled to feel safe."