A thug has been jailed after he admitted spitting in the face of a bus driver.
Craig Marshall was thrown off a Stagecoach service heading from Dundee to Carnoustie after verbally abusing the conductor.
As driver Leeanne McKeen tried to close the door after ushering him from the vehicle, Marshall, 34, spat in her face, Dundee Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Marie Irvine said: “The accused was sitting on the upper deck of the bus, drinking from a bottle of cider.”
Ms Irvine told the court conductor June Galloway asked Marshall to stop as it was not allowed and he became confrontational.
She added: “Ms Galloway told him to get off the bus and he walked downstairs. Ms Galloway appraised the driver Ms McKeen, who told the accused she was pulling over to stop the bus.
“The accused began shouting and swearing and calling Ms Galloway a ******* whore.”
She said the bus stopped at Dundee High School playing fields and Marshall was ushered from the vehicle. When Ms McKeen reached up to close the door, he pulled back his head and spat directly on the right side of her face.
Solicitor Julie Young said Marshall had a severe alcohol problem and apologised for his behaviour.
Marshall, of Newton Road in Arbroath, admitted that on February 19, at Arbroath Road in Dundee, on a bus during the journey from Dundee city centre to Carnoustie, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm, shouted and swore and uttered abusive remarks towards bus conductor June Galloway.
He also admitted assaulting bus driver Leeanne McKeen by spitting on her head at Arbroath Road on the same date.
Sheriff John Rafferty told Marshall: “The driver was quite properly carrying out her duties, and when you were being taken off the bus you very deliberately spat on her face. Only a custodial sentence is appropriate in this case.”
He sentenced Marshall to 100 days in jail.
A spokeswoman for Stagecoach East Scotland, which operates the service, said: “We’re pleased with the outcome of this case and will continue to support and protect our staff and customers from such anti-social behaviour, which thankfully, is not a common occurrence in our area.”
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