Bus driver killer loses appeal against sentence

A teenage boy who admitted killing a bus driver by headbutting and repeatedly punching him has lost an appeal against his sentence.

Keith Rollinson, 58, died of a cardiac arrest in hospital following the incident at the bus station in the St Giles Road area of Elgin in February last year.

The 16-year-old boy - who was 15 at the time and cannot be named - was originally charged with murder but admitted the lesser charge of culpable homicide.

He appealed his sentence of four years and four months but on Tuesday judges ruled it was not excessive.

The attack took place after Mr Rollinson had refused to let the teenager on board the bus because he was too drunk.

A court heard that the boy had then "completely lost control", raining punches on the driver's head and body, before being pulled away by another youth.

Mr Rollinson collapsed following the assault and never regained consciousness.

Lady Hood told the teenager in November there was no alternative to detention.

The youth was granted leave to appeal against the sentence imposed on him.

But Lord Matthews, who heard the appeal with Lord Beckett, rejected the submission that the sentence imposed on the teenager was excessive, following a hearing at the Criminal Appeal Court in Edinburgh.

Lord Matthews' judgement said: "There has been no miscarriage of justice and the appeal is refused."

He said they had viewed CCTV footage and added: "It is plain that the appellant, who was by all accounts intoxicated, would not take no for an answer.

"The court must endeavour to protect people who provide a service to the public and can be in a vulnerable position.

"It is of significance that this is not the first time the appellant had assaulted a bus driver. Such conduct must be deterred."