Drunken 15-year-old who killed bus driver jailed for four years

A drunk 15-year-old who killed a bus driver after he refused to allow him to travel has been jailed for just four years.

Keith Rollinson, 58, died of cardiac arrest after the assault at Elgin bus station on Feb 2. The former RAF employee was attacked by the boy, who is now 16, after he refused to allow him to board the service because he was drunk.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, headbutted Rollinson and “rained punches” on his head and body after the driver grabbed his mobile phone, which was being used to film him.

Rollinson suffered a cardiac arrest shortly after being attacked and never regained consciousness.

The sentencing follows growing concern about violent disorder on Scotland’s public transport network, which some have blamed on the SNP’s policy of handing free bus passes to those aged up to 21.

John Swinney, the First Minister, last week vowed to consider what action could be taken against those who abused the perk after a survey by trade union Unite found 84 per cent of bus drivers had experienced abuse over the previous year.

The teenager who killed Rollinson had initially been charged with murder, but later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of culpable homicide, the Scottish equivalent to manslaughter. He was jailed for four years and four months.

Passing sentence, judge Lady Hood said statements from Rollinson’s family described him as “a true gentleman with a heart of gold and a wonderful husband and father”.

She said the family “have been shattered by their loss” and that due to the circumstances of his death, they had been unable to be with him when he died.

Lady Hood added: “Nothing said or done here today, and no sentence I can pass, will ever be enough to help Mr Rollinson’s family with their devastating loss.”

The teenager, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, showed no reaction as he was led from the courtroom.

‘Attack not intended by accused’

Earlier, Shelagh McCall KC, the youth’s lawyer, told the court the attack on Rollinson “was not intended, nor was it foreseen by the accused”.

“The incident was precipitated by an action on the part of the deceased that appears to have been a trigger,” she said, referring to  Rollinson’s grabbing of the youth’s phone and then stamping on it.

She told the court this reduced her client’s level of culpability but acknowledged that “the harm caused was of the highest level”.

Ms McCall also said her client understood the seriousness of his actions and that he had shown “sincere remorse” for it.

Sue Webber, the Scottish Tory transport secretary, said: “The death of Keith Rollinson was an appalling tragedy, and my thoughts are with his family today.

“Far too many bus drivers are being put in harm’s way and left feeling unsafe at work due to the SNP’s failure to crack down on this behaviour.

“Their soft-touch attitude means judges’ hands are being tied due to their sentencing guidelines for younger people, which meant a lighter punishment was handed down simply due to the offender’s age.

“John Swinney must take a tough stance against those who believe it is acceptable to abuse our bus drivers and that should start by imposing restrictions and curfews on those abusing the young person’s bus pass scheme.”

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