A drunk bus passenger demanded his fare be returned after he claimed to have fallen over on the journey – and then assaulted the driver when he was refused.
Steven Shepherd boarded the Stagecoach service in Tain and travelled to Dingwall before remonstrating with the driver.
When his demands were denied he leaned in the bus window and slapped the driver before chasing and striking the bus as it drove off.
Shepherd, 24, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted a single charge of assault and was told he “needed to stop behaving horribly to people” when drunk.
Fiscal Depute Emma MacEwan told the court that the incident occurred on July 19 last year.
At 6.15pm the Stagecoach bus stopped on Tain’s High Street where Shepherd boarded with another man and woman and paid to travel to Dingwall.
But on arrival at his destination, an “intoxicated” Shepherd approached the driver and asked for his bus fare to be returned.
Drunk passenger blamed driver for fall
“He claimed to have fallen over and blamed the driver,” Ms MacEwan said.
“The accused has then leaned through the bus window and slapped the complainer,” she said.
Following the assault the driver closed the bus doors and drove away, at which point Shepherd ran towards the bus and punched the doors.
Shepherd’s solicitor Clare Russell said her client has struggled with drug and alcohol misuse as a result of trauma.
She said: “He doesn’t have an excuse for his behaviour on this particular date he was under the influence of alcohol.
“He accepts that everyone, including bus drivers, should be able to go about their employment without being assaulted.
“He has instructed me to tender his apologies.”
Grow up or go to jail
Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald told Shepherd, of Old River Road, Dingwall: “You need to grow up more and stop behaving horribly to people when you are drunk or under the influence otherwise you are going to end up in jail.”
She placed him on a community payback order requiring him to complete 70 hours of unpaid work.
A spokesperson for Stagecoach Highlands said, “The safety of our drivers, customers and the general public is always our main priority.
“Our drivers work tirelessly to assist customers every day, and any incident of this nature is completely unacceptable.”
