Glencoe man who assaulted bus driver escapes jail term

A GLENCOE man who assaulted a bus driver in a dispute over a mobile phone narrowly escaped a jail term this week when he appeared for sentencing at Fort William Sheriff Court.

After a trial last month, Paul Farrell was found guilty of assaulting a bus driver in an attack in January in which the victim feared his eye was going to be gouged out.

Farrell, 47, of Carnoch, Glencoe, had claimed he acted in self defence in the altercation at Fort William bus station, triggered after he had refused to stop using his phone to video other passengers and bus company employees.

Farrell had been charged with putting a headlock on the bus driver, striking him on the head and causing him to fall to the ground and kicking him on the head when he was down.

Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald had told Farrell she had found his evidence wholly incredible, inconsistent and could not be considered self-defence as he had made out.

Sheriff MacDonald had deferred sentence until Tuesday for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report and bail was continued.

Farrell’s solicitor Stephen Kennedy told Fort William Sheriff Court this week that Farrell was still adhering to his claim that he had only acted in self defence.

‘I suggest there was a degree of provocation and perhaps the approach of the bus driver could have been a bit more subtle,’ said Mr Kennedy. ‘Mr Farrell feels a great sense of injustice because he feels his complaint was not taken seriously, but also accepts he lost his temper and overstepped the mark.’

Sentencing Farrell to carry out 140 hours of unpaid community work, Sheriff MacDonald flagged up how close he had come to a custodial sentence.

‘I have listened carefully to what Mr Kennedy has said on your behalf, but that said, you behaved badly, were inflammatory and subsequently violent,’ she said.

‘However, I have been persuaded to impose a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody,’ she said, adding that Farrell would have six months to complete the community work.