Police hunt thug who attacked bus driver with a broken bottle

Dec 18 2008 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

A BRAVE bus driver fought off a thug who attacked him with a broken bottle during a terrifying ordeal in Hamilton.

Police were this week appealing for witnesses after the 45-year-old was assaulted at a bus terminus in Sherry Drive, Little Earnock, near to St Mark’s Primary School, on Monday about 9.40am.

The driver was on his break and parked up the McKindless number 67 service when he was approached by a 17-year-old man with red hair.

While brandishing a broken bottle, the yob demanded cash from the driver who refused and said that he couldn’t get access to the money box as it was padlocked.

The suspect then attempted to hit the him with the broken bottle.

While fighting off the attacker, the driver sustained a minor injury to his finger.

He was taken to Hairmyres Hospital where he was treated for his injury.

The suspect was last seen running from the terminus, crossing the road at Sherry Drive, in the direction of the nature trail at the wooded area.

No-one from McKindless was available for comment as the Advertiser went to press.

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman condemned the attack on the driver and appealed for witnesses.

“We are looking to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident and saw what happened to contact the police,” she said.

The area where the incident happened is very popular with dog walkers, so someone may have witnessed something or saw the suspect acting suspiciously.”

Anyone with information should contact Constable Alan MacDonald at Hamilton CID on 483300, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, where calls are free and anonymity can be maintained.

It’s not the first time that a McKindless bus driver has been attacked at the terminus in Sherry Drive.

Three years ago, a driver was robbed at knifepoint while he was parked up at the terminus and on his break.

The robber jumped onto the empty bus and pulled out a knife and demanded cash from the stunned driver who was sitting in a passenger seat.

The driver handed over the takings and emptied his own pockets.

He was badly shaken but otherwise unhurt.

The robber fled with a two-figure sum of cash into nearby woods.