Jarrow man tried to break through bus doors to continue 'persistent' drunken attack
Jarrow man attacks bus driver trainer after being told to ‘calm down’ during journey.
A “persistent” South Tyneside attacker punched a bus driver trainer in the face after getting sozzled at his aunt’s wake and causing trouble on board, a court heard.
Karl Morrison, 45, struck his victim on the jaw after being warned to quieten down or get off the Go North East vehicle as it travelled through Hebburn on Tuesday, October 7.
Morrison, of Wuppertal Court, Jarrow, forced the instructor off by following him down the aisle – and struck him inside and outside the bus.
The assault only ended when the victim climbed back on board and his driver colleague put his foot down, prosecutor Glenda Beck said.
Even then Morrison, described as “not a spring chicken” by his solicitor, tried to get at the man again by attempting to force open the doors.
He has now been ordered to pay the employee £100 compensation after pleading guilty to a charge of common assault at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.
Prosecutor Glenda Beck said: “The bus stopped near the Caledonian pub on Lyon Street and a male got on with a group of friends who appeared intoxicated.
“The group had been on the bus for about five minutes when the defendant started to shout at a male who was not part of the group.
“The bus driver, who was mentoring a colleague, has asked him to calm down or would have to ask him to get off. The male followed him to the front of the bus and became aggressive.”
‘He kept following the driver’
In a statement, the victim said: “He followed me and continued to behave aggressively. The bus stopped on Western Road.
“The male followed me and threw punches in my direction, and one struck my jaw. I put my arms up to defend myself.
“I got off the bus but he threw further punches, hitting me on the torso.
“I got back on and attempted to close the bus doors, but he put his hands between them to prevent that. I asked the driver to drive away.”
Mrs Beck said the bus reached a safe distance in Ellison Street, where police were called.
She added: “There was some persistence, he kept following the driver.”
In a statement, the victim said the attack had left him shaken and that he had been trying to protect passengers.
Morrison was last in court in March 2023 for an unspecified offence.
Attacker had ‘drunk too much’ at wake
David Forrester, defending, said: “On the day in question, he had been to his aunt’s wake and had drunk too much, and he was with people who had also drunk too much.
“This was back in the back part of last year, and in February his father also passed away, so he is feeling quite low about that.
“He’s not a spring chicken, he’s been through the system before.
“He has a long history of attending the courts but that has tapered off in recent years.”
Magistrates also fined Morrison £200, with £85 court costs and an £80 victim surcharge.