A bus driver tormented by snowball-throwing youths suffered a cracked cheekbone after an assault by a 16-year-old boy in an east Perthshire town.
Scott Robb told a court how he was repeatedly targeted by a teenage gang as he drove his Stagecoach service through Alyth.
When the 52-year-old got out to “scare them off”, he was struck in the face by one of the group.
His horrific injury only emerged days later when he went to hospital to complain about a constant crunching noise inside his face.
Aidan Milne appeared at Perth Sheriff Court this week and denied assaulting Mr Robb to his severe injury at Alyth’s Albert Street on February 2 2021.
He claimed he had been acting in self-defence, alleging the bus driver grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and dragged him towards his coach.
Milne, now 18, was found guilty after Sheriff James Hastie rejected his version of events.
‘Horrible’ abuse
Mr Robb told the trial he was often subjected to abuse from a group of five or six teenagers when he drove his bus through the centre of Alyth.
“They would shout, swear and egg me on to come out of the bus and fight.
“It was just horrible things they said to me.”
The court heard Mr Robb was parked outside Alyth Town Hall, reading a newspaper, when he was approached by the group of youngsters.
“They were banging on my windows,” he said.
“I thought I would open the door, get out and try and scare them off.”
When he stepped out, some of the boys ran away but he was struck on the face by something.
Mr Robb said he made eye contact with his attacker but could not say how he was hit.
“It was either his fist or his head, I don’t know what.
“It happened in an instant.”
The court heard Mr Robb told police at the time he may have been struck with a stick.
“My head just went down and I crouched over.
“It was such a shock. My face went all numb. It was throbbing.
“I stood there for a few minutes, trying to get myself together.
“Then I got back on the bus and got out of Alyth as fast as I could.”
The following week, his partner urged him to get his injury checked out.
“I had been getting crunching noises every time I bit into something,” he said.
An X-ray revealed a fractured cheekbone.
Questioned by solicitor Mike Tavendale, defending, Mr Robb strongly denied he had assaulted the teenager.
In his police statement, Mr Robb said youths had been throwing snowballs and sticks at his bus for several weeks before the assault.
‘Frightened for his life’
Milne, of Springbank Road, Blairgowrie, said he met friends at the bus stop but denied he was involved in throwing snowballs.
“The bus driver saw me and grabbed me by the neck.
“I was frightened for my life.
“I didn’t know what was going to happen to me.”
The teenager admitted striking Mr Robb to the face but insisted it was self-defence.
“Would you have any reason to go up and punch him?” asked Mr Tavendale.
“No, no reason at all,” said Milne. “I didn’t even know the guy.”
Sheriff Hastie told Milne: “There is no doubt that you struck Mr Robb to his severe injury.
“There is no question in my mind that that happened but the question is whether you were acting in self-defence.”
The sheriff said Milne’s position was supported by two friends who also gave evidence.
However, he did not believe they were credible witnesses.
Prosecutors withdrew an allegation Milne acted culpably and recklessly by throwing snowballs, stones and other missiles at a public bus “to the danger of lieges.”
Sheriff Hastie deferred sentence for background reports until February 27.
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