Man who headbutted bus driver jailed

12 week sentence for drunken assault

A Douglas man who headbutted a bus driver has been sentenced to 12 weeks in prison.

Twenty-nine-year-old Christopher John Crellin, of Labernum Avenue, appeared before Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes for sentencing at Douglas courthouse today.

He had previously pleaded guilty to a common assault charge.

The court heard Crellin had left a christening, following an argument with his mother, as the day had brought back memories of him going into care at the age of 12.

He was very drunk, and ended up on a bus, where he verbally abused some younger passengers.

When the bus driver, Andrew Mayers, intervened, Crellin headbutted him.

Crellin's advocate said his client had handed himself in the next morning, when he heard about the police's request for information about the attack, but didn't really remember what had happened.

Steve Wood went on to say Crellin had been going through a difficult period, with his daughter, who had been born prematurely, in the Special Care Baby Unit at the time.

Sentencing Crellin, Mrs Hughes said his problems were no excuse for the attack.

She also asked him what would he have been able to do in such a drunken state if something had happened to his daughter and he had needed to get to her.

In addition to the prison sentence, she ordered Crellin to pay Mr Mayers £500 compensation.