A thug who battered a bus driver unconscious – and left a 62-year-old cyclist scarred – has been jailed.
The 26-year-old flew into a rage over a comment made to him while picking up his face mask which had blown off in the wind.
During the vicious assault he booted his victim – who was left afraid to leave the house – in the head, knocking him out, and then continued to punch him as he lay defenseless on the road.
And in an earlier incident, Walker also left a 62-year-old cyclist scarred after assaulting him because he claimed he had bumped into him and not apologised.
Fiscal depute Felicity Merson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “At approximately 3.20pm on August 28 2020 the bus driver was waiting at the locus for the number 19 bus to switch with the driver and continue his shift after his lunch break.
“The bus arrived at 3.30pm.
“As the complainer walked towards the bus he became aware of the accused who appeared to be angry at him but he was unsure why.
“Due to the accused shouting and swearing, the complainer swore to the accused.
“This appeared to enrage the accused who told the complainer something similar to ‘you can’t speak to me like that’.
“Without warning, the accused punched the complainer to the face. The complainer raised his hands to protect himself as the accused continued to punch him, with blows connecting with the complainer’s arms.”
Mrs Merson said Walker “adopted a boxing pose” as he punched the bus driver, and kicked him on the leg, causing him to fall to the ground.
She continued: “The complainer attempted to kick the accused, to which the accused again punched the complainer in the face. This caused the complainer to fall to the ground and land on the road directly behind the parked bus.”
When the driver tried to get back up Walker grabbed him by the jacket and repeatedly punched him on the head.
Mrs Merson said: “As the complainer attempted to get up from the ground again, the accused kicked him to the head, immediately knocking him unconscious.
“The complainer fell to the ground and the accused punched him on the face a further two times before running away.”
The bus driver was left with a “pool of blood surrounding him” and was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
He was found to have sustained a fractured and dislocated jaw, fractured left cheekbone, fractured nose and bruises and grazes to his face and elbow.
Emergency surgery was performed to reduce the dislocation, and metal plates were inserted into his jaw and cheekbone, leaving a two-inch scar under his right ear and a further scar in front of the ear.
Mrs Merson said: “As on November 12, the complainer had not returned to work. He advised police at the time that the assault has affected his confidence and every time he looks in the mirror he is reminded that his face does not look the same.
“He felt like he had to return to work for the money. He sometimes wakes in the night at the thought of returning to work as he feels unsafe around the public and is afraid to go outside.”
It is understood the driver has since returned to work.
Walker, a prisoner of HMP Grampian, pled guilty to assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement over the incident, and also admitted assault to injury and permanent disfigurement over an earlier incident involving a 62-year-old cyclist.
In relation to that incident, Mrs Merson said: “At about 12.15am on August 10 2019 the complainer was cycling home from work.
“As he turned onto Whitehall Place he noticed two males get out of a taxi.
“As he approached the front door to his block of flats he noticed that the males were blocking the pavement so he walked around then entered the flats.”
A short time later he heard banging and the accused was heard to say “we know where you live, we’ll be back, we’ll get you”.
Walker was also heard to use a homophobic term to refer to his victim, who then went downstairs.
Walker then said to him: “You hit me with your bike and didn’t say sorry.”
He then punched the 62-year-old above his right eye.
Mrs Merson said: “The accused continued to punch him on the body and then punched him to the side of the head, which knocked him to the ground.
“As he was lying on the ground the accused repeatedly kicked him, connecting with his shoulder and the side of his leg.”
The fiscal said the man “told the accused he should not be doing this because he is a 62-year-old man, which appeared to stop the assault”.
Walker told his victim to sit down and then left.
The man was left with a two-inch laceration above his right eye which was sealed with glue and steri-strips and has left a scar.
Defence agent Stuart Murray, referring to the Broad Street offence, said: “What happened, from the defence perspective, is Mr Walker was standing on Broad Street at the bus stop.
“The bus pulls up, Mr Walker is standing first in the queue with his mask on waiting to board the bus.
“His mask blows off while he is adjusting it – it’s clearly a windy day. As he moves to pick it up the bus driver makes a comment to Mr Walker.”
Mr Murray said his client told him the driver swore at him and made an offensive remark.
He added: “Mr Walker is clearly unable to cope with that type of confrontation and is unable to control his emotions and reacts by swinging at the bus driver.
“Thereafter it’s effectively what one might refer to as a square go. Both parties are attempting to hit each other.
“At one point the complainer attempts what can only be described as a roundhouse kick to Mr Walker’s head.
“This is for all intents and purposes a straight fight. Thereafter Mr Walker gets the better of the complainer.”
However, Mr Murray accepted as the incident progressed his client went on to “exhibit cruel excess in relation to the attack”.
Mrs Merson said the crown did not accept that the incident had been a “square go”.
The solicitor said Walker had experienced “a great deal of physical abuse as a child and young man” which had affected him.
Regarding the earlier offence, Mr Murray said: “Again this is an example of an individual who simply is unable to deal with what he deems to be aggressive or confrontational behaviour.”
Sheriff Philip Mann said the offences were “extremely serious”.
He jailed Walker for 22 months and two weeks in relation to the bus driver assault, and two years of supervision and 180 hours of unpaid work over the cyclist attack.
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