Hughes snatched tickets from passengers at Earl's Court

Royston Hughes of Kensington, west London has been warned he risks arrest and jail if he sets foot in Earl's Court station again.

Complaints from Tube staff and passengers prompted West London Magistrates' Court to issue an anti-social behaviour bond against the pensioner on Thursday.

Magistrates heard he had threatened to throw acid and assault staff with a knife, snatched tickets from passengers and was an aggressive ticket tout.

He is also banned from ticket touting, verbally abusing, harassing, threatening violence, or intimidating anyone within Kensington and Chelsea.

London Underground, the British Transport Police (BTP) and the council joined forces to apply for the banning order.

His behaviour was so bad that immediate action was needed Chief Inspector Dave Dickason

It is only the second time anyone has been banned from entering a Tube station.

The first was 37-year-old Selwyn Wright who was banned from entering any station in Barnet, north London in July 2001.

Chief Inspector Dave Dickason, from the BTP, described Hughes as a "persistent offender" both at the station and in the surrounding area.

"His conduct was the source of numerous complaints from members of station staff, police, local residents and community members, " he said.