A drunken lout who attacked and racially abused a terrified bus passenger after trying to sit on his lap has been locked up.
Keith Downie, 26, went on to spit blood at police officers after being removed from the Citylink bus at Seagate Bus Station in Dundee.
Downie was jailed, with a sheriff slating his “reprehensible” conduct.
Sheriff Gregor Murray said: “You approached a stranger who did nothing to attract your attention.
“You then punched him a number of times and made a number of vile, racist remarks.
“In addition to physical injury, you then spit blood.
“Police officers and the public generally expect courts to impose sentences to deter others and protect them.”
Asked to sit on victim’s knee
Visibly drunk Downie boarded the bus in Edinburgh at 8.15pm on January 29 but told the driver he was fine to travel, Dundee Sheriff Court was told.
Mr George boarded the bus at Halbeath around 40 minutes later and sat three seats behind the driver.
However, he would not be allowed to travel in peace after Downie approached him and asked to shake hands.
“The witness was uncomfortable with this and touched elbows instead,” fiscal depute Lora Apostolova said.
“The accused returned to his seat but he started pacing while still speaking to the witness.
“He asked if he could sit beside him or on his lap. The witness refused and tried to ignore him.
“The accused then sat directly behind him and began to push his head and called him a Paki.”
Arrested in Dundee
Downie then punched Mr George on the side of the head and body while threatening to kill him.
The driver was unaware of what exactly had happened but assured Mr George he would be stopping in Dundee.
Police arrested Downie at Seagate Bus Station where he began to kick out at officers and tried to bite one of them. He also tried to spit blood at the police.
Downie, a prisoner of HMP Perth, pled guilty to assaulting Mr George by repeatedly punching and pushing him to the head on body on the M92 bus between Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
While at Seagate, he tried to bite PC Alan Hunter before spitting blood and thrusting his arms. He also spat blood at PC Thomas Fitzpatrick.
Sheriff Murray sentenced Downie to 22 months in prison.
