A Dundee lout, high on Valium and Buckfast, threatened to cut off a schoolboy’s ears, sexually assaulted a teenage girl and punched a man in the face during a bus journey from hell.
Connor McInearney was brought from prison to Forfar Sheriff Court where he admitted assault, sexual assault and threatening or abusive behaviour committed during a trip he cannot remember taking on the 57 service on March 10 this year.
Fiscal depute Jill Drummond explained a group of children aged between 13 and 15 boarded the double decker bus between Birkhill and Auchterhouse at around 6.45pm.
On the upper deck, McInearney began to speak to one of the boys, who was aged 14.
He asked the boy’s name and repeated it back to him, swapping the surname out for “beast.”
McInearney became aggressive and held up his arms, then placed his hands in his waistband as though looking for something.
The boy became scared and ran past McInearney towards the exit.
McInearney sat back down and made comments “inferring” the boy had molested a girl at swimming baths.
He then began to punch the back of bus chairs and became increasingly angry, threatening to cut off the boy’s ears and murder him before he got off the bus.
Sexual assault
A 13-year-old girl who was with the group became afraid and McInearney said: “Sorry this is happening to you.”
Another of the children rang the bell to stop the bus and reported him to the driver.
McInearney told them as they left: “Don’t tell anyone, it’s going to be ok.”
The driver ordered McInearney to come to the lower deck and the terrified boy requested another passenger – a 19-year-old – stood between them as they tried to establish what had happened.
McInearney continued to try to apologise and offered a £5 note for the children to get back onboard.
He dropped it and after trying to hand over his wallet, stroked the 13-year-old girl’s hair and face and told her: “You’re too beautiful for this to happen to you.”
When the adult passenger intervened by telling McInearey to leave the girl alone, he punched the man in the face.
The passenger brought McInearney to the ground until he stopped struggling.
By the time police had arrived, “heavily intoxicated” McInearney was asleep at the back of the bus and in possession of an almost empty Buckfast bottle.
No recollection of bus trip
McInearney previously admitted missing an earlier court date and has been remanded since April 3.
Solicitor Keith Sym said: “He was in employment as a digger driver and works on construction sites.
“He’s absolutely no recollection of these events.
“He was under the influence of Valium and alcohol.
“He was due, had he not been in custody, to start a drug detox last week. He’s effectively detoxed while on remand.
“I’m sure he’ll be appalled, as we all are, to hear what he did.
“He would seek to apologise to all people involved.”
Court papers stated McInearney lives in Alyth but Mr Sym said his client now lives at Dundee’s Ancrum Court.
A request to release McInearney on bail was rejected by Sheriff Mark Thorley.
Remanded
The sheriff ordered pre-sentencing reports and said: “This clearly must have been a terrifying incident for the young persons involved.”
McInearney, 26, was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and will return to be sentenced on May 11.
In February last year, McInearney was jailed after hitting his girlfriend in the face and threatening to sexually assault a police officer’s grandchild when they came to arrest him.
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