Cyclist in rail station row

A STROPPY cyclist may have peddled into trouble when he tried to ride through a packed booking hall at Ipswich railway station.

Now the cheeky biker could end up saddled with a journey to the town's magistrates court after being accused of abusing staff and British Transport police.

The man was left deflated after he rode through the booking hall when it was full of travellers during the afternoon rush hour.

The 27-year-old got off a train, which arrived at 4.50pm on Tuesday , with his bicycle in tow.

Witnesses said they saw him mount the bike, cycle along the platform and into the booking hall.

However his bravado was soon punctured.

As he weaved among the commuters Anglia Railways staff called out to him to dismount.

It is said he took offence at the request and then got into an argument with workers.

The row escalated and the man, who lives in Ipswich, is alleged to have begun swearing and shouting at staff.

British Transport police were called in, but the man is said to have remained unco-operative and abusive.

After continually refusing to give his name the angry cyclist was arrested and taken to Ipswich police station.

BTP sergeant Bob Munn said: "The man was asked to desist cycling through the booking hall and then subjected the member of staff to a torrent of abuse. We were called and he was abusive to a police officer. He then refused to give his details and was arrested under section 25 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

"We are cracking down on anti-social behaviour on the railway network and people breaking any of the laws under the criminal or railway by-laws can expect to be dealt with firmly."

Sgt Munn said the cyclist was arrested for allegedly cycling in a pedestrian area and unacceptable behaviour.

The matter is now in the hands of the BTP's criminal justice unit in London which will decide whether to summons the cyclist to appear in court.