Bus drivers in Scotland say death of colleague highlights rising abuse

After the bus driver Keith Rollinson died at Elgin bus station, having been violently assaulted by a teenage passenger, friends and colleagues held a candlelit vigil for a man described by his family as "a true gentleman with a heart of gold".

- Libby Brooks

On the day of his funeral, the town in Moray, Scotland, came to a near-standstill, with bus services suspended so his fellow drivers could line the streets. The 58-yearold died of cardiac arrest in February after being attacked by a 15-year-old whom he had refused to allow on to his bus because he was too drunk. This week the teenager, who was originally charged with murder but admitted the lesser charge of culpable homicide, was sentenced to four years and four months in custody.

Many believe Rollinson's death was part of an escalating trend.