Teenager who killed bus driver ‘rained punches’ on victim

The boy was originally charged with murder but pled guilty to the lesser charge of culpable homicide.

He will be sentenced at the High Court in Inverness on 18 November.

The court was told the boy had previously been reported to the police for assaulting another bus driver.

A supervision order for that offence had been terminated three weeks before the fatal assault on Mr Rollinson.

The court was told that the boy was part of a group of youths who had been drinking heavily that evening.

The accused and another youth had gone to the bus station to get the last bus home.

The court heard that Mr Rollinson had told the boy he was too intoxicated to board the bus, which had upset him.

Mr Rollinson switched off the bus engine and told the other passengers he would not be leaving until the boy got off the bus.

Mr Rollinson had asked a colleague for help with the situation.

On returning to the concourse, the boy pointed his phone in Mr Rollinson’s face, leading to the driver grabbing the phone.

This led to a struggle between the pair, during which the boy headbutted the driver.

The court heard that the boy had then “completely lost control”, raining punches on Mr Rollinson’s head and body, before being pulled away by another youth.