A PASSENGER punched a train conductor in the face after an argument erupted over the price of a ticket from Worcester to Hereford.

Luke Fitzgerald, boyfriend of Rachel Whittear - who died of a drug overdose in May this year - was travelling to be with his family on Christmas Eve.

He had not bought a ticket from Worcester Foregate Street station before boarding the train, Worcester magistrates heard.

After the train left the station shortly before 9am, the senior conductor Mark Berry asked the passengers to see their tickets.

"He asked how much the cheapest ticket was to Hereford," Mr Berry told the court.

He told the 27-year-old a standard ticket was £7.50, but Fitzgerald said conductors had previously only charged £5 and that he would not pay more, despite having £30 on him.

Mr Berry said the conversation was heated and he was growing "irritated", so he left, hoping Fitzgerald would reconsider and pay £7.50 or be put off the train at Malvern Link, the next stop.

Later, Mr Berry walked through the train and made eye contact with Fitzgerald, of Trinity Road, Aston, in Birmingham.

After throwing verbal abuse at him, Mr Berry said, Fitzgerald followed Mr Berry to a cab at the rear of the train and banged on the door, demanding to know why the ticket was £7.50.

When the train reached Malvern Link, Mr Berry approached Fitzgerald, who "started throwing punches".

He grappled with Fitzgerald, put his arm behind his back and put him off the train.

"That's when Mr Fitzgerald threw several punches, all of which connected with my mouth and nose," said Mr Berry.

Mr Berry said he kicked out at Fitzgerald, knocking him further back, closed the door and told the driver to pull out of the station.

"I was aware that he was stronger than me and he scared me," Fitzgerald told the court, claiming he was acting in self-defence because he felt Mr Berry was going to attack him.

Fitzgerald said Mr Berry had aimed a kick between the legs and had left a boot print.

"After the doors shut he made a w***** sign and had a smile on his face," said Fitzgerald.

But magistrates found Fitzgerald guilty of common assault and interfering with the comfort of passengers on the railway.

The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday, August 13, for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.