THUGS threw eggs at a man with learning difficulties, repeatedly humiliated him, videoed him and and chased him through a train threatening to stab him.

Jaiden Green, 18, was one of three yobs to target the man on a c2c train from Benfleet to Shoebury. He was sentenced for attempted robbery at Basildon Crown Court yesterday and received a total of four years and four months in a youth jail.

Suki Dhadda, prosecuting, told the court how three teens had targeted the vulnerable man as soon as he boarded the train.

She said: “The victim got onto the train at 10.19pm on November 12 last year, and the defendant and two others got on the same carriage as him. The victim heard an egg splattering on the wall near him, and then one splattered on him.

“An egg was thrown directly at him and hit him on the head. The defendant then approached the victim and asked where he was going, and if he wanted to get stabbed. He then told him to get off his iPad and give it to him or he would be stabbed.”

Green’s victim then got up and moved into a carriage further down the train which had a lot more people in it, but the gang followed and continued to taunt him.

Ms Dhadda added: “He sits down and he’s hounded by them, and then gets egged again. He is being videoed and they’re taking photographs of him. It’s an awful incident. He finally gets up and throws a punch at one of them to defend himself, and then the three are restrained by members of the public.”

The victim fled from the train at Leigh, and Green was questioned the next day by police.

CCTV footage of the shocking attack was played in court.

Mitigation for Green of Southernhay, Basildon, told the court he regretted the way he approached the situation.

Sentencing Green, Judge Samantha Leigh said: “You were behaving in an absolutely appalling way. You picked on him, you chased him, filmed him and generally showed foul behaviour. Your victim now fears getting on trains.

“When you choose to pick on someone like this, you must take the consequences.”

The court heard Green’s two juvenile accomplices were dealt with in court earlier this year, but no details of their sentences were given.