A drunken rail passenger who urinated on a train floor and was 'thrusting' himself at a woman has been ordered to pay £50 compensation to a 15-year-old boy who stood up to him.
Alex Laidlaw, 35, was seen coughing and spitting over other passengers on a carriage travelling from The Wirral to Chester, before relieving himself against a set of doors.
The teenager stepped in and told Laidlaw to stop, but the lout shoved him in the chest and hit his arm.
Laidlow then vomited on the floor of the carriage before being arrested by police as the 8.10pm Merseyrail train pulled into Chester railway station on September 24 last year.
At Chester magistrates court, Laidlaw, of Birkenhead, admitted assault and outraging public decency by thrusting himself at an unnamed woman and was ordered to pay him £50 in compensation.
Prosecutor Alan Currums said the incident began when Laidlaw was aboard a train for the 16-minute journey between Eastham Rake on The Wirral, to Chester on September 24 of last year.
The youth witnessed the defendant coughing and spitting on another male before approaching two females who moved away from him.
Laidlaw was said to be 'intoxicated and causing problems for people on the train', according to Mr Currums, and so the youngster intervened and challenged the defendant.
But Laidlaw then pushed the 15-year-old in the chest and hit his arm, causing no injury.
The teen tried to persuade Laidlaw to sit down, which he did but he started to be sick and urinated against the carriage doors.
As the train pulled into the Chester railway station, staff and security were alerted and Laidlaw was arrested.
Mr Currums added: 'The defendant appeared to be extremely intoxicated. It was the victim who has challenged him to protect others which causes the angry response against him. He was trying to protect others from the defendant's behaviour.'
Laidlaw also admitted assaulting his mother Leta Laidlaw in an unrelated incident, as well causing criminal damage to a door handle, and obstructing two police officers in the execution of their duty.
Turning to the assault on March 14, the prosecutor said Mrs Laidlaw was seeking a short restraining order to 'allow the dust to settle'.
Mr Currum: 'She feels that he needs help with his mental health issues.'
Laidlaw was also fined £200 with £530 in costs and victim surcharge and ordered to participate with 30 days of rehabilitation activity with the probation service.
He will also have to complete a six-month alcohol treatment programme as part of a 24-month community order.
His lawyer Catherine Higham said: 'Quite clearly he requires assistance. He has struggled with his mental health for some time. He wants to make amends.'
Sentencing, Deputy District Judge James Hulse told Laidlaw. 'I've read the full facts and probation report.
'Credit to you for turning up for the probation interview, though dishevelled, and giving them the information that they required.
'It has been discussed with you by the probation service how these are serious matters.
'However, I do not feel that a custodial sentence is appropriate but the offences have passed the community threshold.'
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more by signing up to Metro's News Updates newsletter