A DRUNKEN man who cycled his bike across railway tracks causing 28 train delays was branded "monumentally stupid" but spared jail.

Stewart Crowdy fell asleep on the train and missed his stop at Princes Risborough, ending up at Banbury Station on the evening of December 23 last year.

The court heard how the 32-year-old was approached by station staff who noticed he was drunk and asked where he was going.

In a statement read to Oxford Crown Court on Monday, customer service officer Haider Pervaiz said Crowdy was escorted to the right platform, but was then spotted cycling his bike across the live tracks.

He added: "I was advised a man was riding on the tracks.

"I saw the male I had left riding his bike across the tracks to platform 2."

When Mr Pervaiz confronted Crowdy back on the platform he said the drunken man became aggressive, then grabbed his high-vis jacket.

He added: "He was shouting and I perceived his tone to be aggressive.

"He tried to grab my high-vis jacket with both hands. He said something like 'I'm going to mess you up' and his behaviour made me feel threatened and nervous.

"I thought he was going to assault me."

The police were called and Crowdy was arrested. He admitted he had been drinking, had missed his stop and ended up at Banbury Station.

Prosecutor Jonathan Stone said how by trespassing on the tracks, Crowdy had delayed 28 trains at a cost of £13,440 to Network Rail.

Crowdy, of Beechwood Way, Aston Clinton, Bucks, admitted common assault, trespassing on the railways and of obstructing the railways.

Helen Warren, defending, said her client had battled a ketamine and cannabis habit, but he had replaced those problems with alcohol addiction.

Ms Warren told the court Crowdy, who works full-time as a fibre glass laminator, was "horrified" by his actions that evening.

She added: "Mr Crowdy is mortified to find himself in this situation.

"While he accepts responsibility for his actions, it is right to say he doesn't remember everything that went on that evening."

Judge Patrick Eccles branded Crowdy's actions "monumentally stupid", but said he could spare him jail.

He added: "You were extremely drunk and so you decided to ride your bike across the tracks to the other platform at Banbury station and did so without any justification.

"It was an act of monumental stupidity on your part."

Judge Eccles handed Crowdy a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, with a nine-month alcohol treatment requirement, 18-day rehabilitation activity requirement and electronically monitored curfew.

Crowdy was also handed a restraining order, banning him from travelling on Chiltern Railways service or from entering stations where it operates for five years.

He was also ordered to pay £7,000 compensation.