Boss’s son cleared of ‘bus wars’ attack on rival inspector

Dec 24 2008

Boss’s son cleared of ‘bus wars’ attack on rival inspector

THE son of a Lanarkshire bus firm owner charged with assaulting an inspector from a rival firm last week walked free from court.

It was alleged that Eddie Coakley jnr had kneed First Bus inspector Gerard Bell in the groin in a car park off Hamilton’s Clarkwell Road on September 9 last year.

However, Sheriff Joyce Powrie found him not guilty of the offence last Wednesday after hearing evidence from Mr Bell and a bystander.

Mr Bell told Hamilton Sheriff Court last Wednesday he had been ensuring bus services ran on time on the morning of September 9 last year.

Questioned by fiscal depute John Gildea, the 53-year-old said he had not long got off a bus in Clarkwell Road when he was approached by Eddie Coakley jnr and another man.

He said 32-year-old Coakley kneed him in the groin and told him to ‘get out of Hillhouse.’

Coakley’s solicitor, Gary McAteer, asked Mr Bell what the disagreement was about and the witness replied that Coakley didn’t like what he was doing.

Mr Bell explained that his job was to turn a nine-minute service into a four-minute (timetabled) service.

He said: “The company gave me three extra buses to get into a four-minute service.”

Asked by Mr McAteer why, he replied: “To shut down a gap in the route.”

The lawyer asked Mr Bell if he fitted in three extra buses “somewhere you thought appropriate”?

Mr Bell said he did, adding: “The company make sure it keeps to a four-minute service.”

Mr McAteer asked Mr Bell if he had been aware of (court) actions taken against First Bus by several companies over “predatory conduct of interfering with other services.”

Mr Bell said he did not, and was asked by Mr McAteer about the practice of ‘holding back,’ which he took to mean holding back buses to fill a gap.

The lawyer summarised the practice as buses being held at a bus stop until a bus from another firm appears on the horizon.

At that point the bus would leave and pick up passengers that would otherwise have been picked up by the rival bus.

Mr Bell agreed with the description, and when asked by Mr McAteer if it was lawful, said: “I thought it was.” Mr Bell was asked if there had been any discussion with Mr Coakley about the practice of holding back that day and he replied that there had not.

Coakley (32), of Glenmore Avenue, Bellshill, denied the assault charge at the outset of the trial. After Crown evidence the defence made a no case to answer submission which was upheld by Sheriff Powrie who found Coakley not guilty.