Man fined for abusing bus driver, accusing him carrying “a bomb”

The Glasgow Evening Times reports on the fine imposed on a man who accused an off duty bus driver of having a “bomb on him” and branded passengers “f****** Muslims” when they failed to join him in singing Christmas carols.

Hugh Stewart, 49, appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court last week charged with offences occurring on 20 December 2015.

The court heard Stewart boarded the Penilee-bound 9A First Bus at Morrison Street in the Tradeston area of Glasgow at around 8pm with a group of men. The group sat towards the front of the bus and began singing Christmas carols. The procurator fiscal depute told the court that when it became apparent the other passengers did not want to join in with the singing, Stewart shouted “You are all f**king Muslims.”

Stewart then saw an Asian bus employee who was in uniform but off duty, chatting to the driver on the bus. Stewart accused the employee, who is a driver with the First Bus company, of possessing “a bomb”, an accusation the off duty driver refuted.

Stewart then attempted to assault the off duty driver by punching him in the face but the victim “landed a punch on Stewart’s eye socket” instead.

Stewart “retaliated and managed to land several punches on the off duty bus driver’s face before forcing his way off the bus with his friends”, according to the local paper.

Police searched the CCTV footage from the bus in order to identify the culprit and a media appeal, including in the Evening Times, was made in April 2016. The local paper notes an anonymous call was made to police identifying Stewart who was visited at his home by police and subsequently charged.

Stewart’s defence told the court he was “extremely ashamed” of his behaviour and had indicated his willingness to pay the victim compensation. His defence also said Stewart came off worse having sustained “quite a serious eye injury” in the altercation he provoked.

Stewart was fined £500 by the court, £200 of which is to be paid as compensation to the victim. Stewart was also told that must pay the fine at a rate of £20 per week.