A PASSENGER caused major disruption at York Railway Station because his mobile phone battery had run out of power, city magistrates heard.

Adam Hunt, 20, taunted police by giving the finger as he ran away from them, said Katie Vine, prosecuting.

He tried to get on an LNER train, but train staff wouldn’t let him on board. Then he threatened to jump onto the railway tracks.

Railway staff had to stop all trains going through the station on safety grounds until the situation had been resolved.

In total passengers and train crews endured 150 minutes of disruption before they could resume their journeys.

Defence solicitor Adam Henry said Hunt couldn’t buy a ticket back to Leeds because his phone battery had run out.

So he asked British Transport Police for help and they declined to help him.

“He found himself in a position that wasn’t of his making,” said Mr Henry. “He sought assistance from a service you would expect to help him.”

Hunt, of William Street, Churwell, Morley, pleaded guilty to causing a public nuisance.

“It is fair to say you were a nuisance on that day,” magistrates told him. “You did cause some disruption to people visiting the station and people arriving and leaving the station by train.”

They made him subject to a 12-month community order with a 26-session rehabilitative programme to improve his thinking skills and six days' rehabilitative activities. He must pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 statutory surcharge.  

Ms Vine said police spoke to Hunt several times at York Railway Station on August 19. He appeared to have mental health issues or be under the influence of drugs.

When he became agitated, he was asked to leave the station and refused to do so. He ran away from police and made his way to Platform 5 where he tried to board an LNER train.

“The defendant then threatened to jump off the platform onto the train track,” said Ms Vine.

Altogether the disruption to trains cost Network Rail £12,701 and caused 150 minutes of delays to trains.

Mr Henry said Hunt had acted out of desperation. He had learning difficulties and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. 

"Cruel friends” had suggested he travel to York by train to meet them in city.

But he couldn’t find them in York. Mr Henry suggested the friends had never intended to travel to York.

Hunt had returned to the railway station intending to buy a ticket home but couldn’t because his phone battery had run down. So he had sought help from the police and when they didn’t help him his anxiety increased.

He had taken cannabis earlier in the day to deal with his anxiety.  He was seeking help from his GP in dealing with his mental health issues, said Mr Henry.