A judge has slated a bus company who hired a violent criminal despite him turning up to start work wearing an electronic tag.
Christopher Plant was driving a bus packed with people when he ‘saw red’ and punched a motorist ten times during a road rage attack in Chester, a court heard.
The 48-year-old was working for GHA when he attacked the white van driver – just days after the company transferred him to the route following 'problems' which had led to a disciplinary hearing.
Plant – who has previous convictions for assault, criminal damage and a battery offence involving a baseball bat – was banned in 2010 for 16 months for drink driving.
But Plant, from Mancot in Deeside, was employed by the bus company even when he turned up for work wearing an electronic tag.
The tattooed driver was not made to fill out an application form to work for the firm, which has offices in Tarvin, Wrexham, Winsford and Ruthin, because he had done ‘previous work’ for them, Chester Magistrates Court heard on Friday (October 3).
District Judge Michael Abelson slated the bus company for employing a ‘violent’ man, saying: “What was a man who was banned from driving as recently as January 2010 doing driving a bus?
“He has previous for violence and excess alcohol. What on earth was he doing driving members of the public around?”
The Chronicle rang GHA, who have a fleet of 230 buses and coaches. They declined to comment on the case but confirmed the driver in question no longer worked for the company.
Plant was sentenced to four months behind bars and banned from driving for 12 months, after pleading guilty to attacking Danny Buckley during the incident on Saturday, August 2.
Shocked passengers watched as the bus driver got out and punched Mr Buckley at least 10 times to the face and upper body after he drove into the bus lane in front of him in George Street, Chester.
Rob Youds, prosecuting, described how the driver wanted to turn into Frodsham Street but realised he was in the wrong lane – when he moved into the bus lane he noticed the bus driver was ‘gesticulating’ and making rude hand movements at him.
Mr Youds said: “He got out of his van to speak to the driver of the bus. He pushed the emergency exit button, he said to the driver “what’s your problem”."
Plant then got out of the bus and assaulted Mr Buckley, calling him names, but Mr Buckley managed to get back in his van and drove away, added Mr Youds.
Mr Buckley was not seriously hurt in the attack, but in a victim impact statement read out in court, he described himself as feeling “stressed” by the incident.
In a letter read by Judge Abelson, Plant’s employers said he had not filled in an application form when he was taken on, and they noticed he was ‘wearing a tag’ when he turned up for work – but he explained it by saying he had been done for being drunk and disorderly.
He was moved to the company’s Tarvin offices following some ‘problems’ and had a disciplinary hearing before the assault occurred. His employees said they were ‘very concerned’ about the court appearance, Judge Abelson read.
But the court heard that Plant had been sentenced for being drunk and disorderly, criminal damage and battery following an incident in Hawarden Way on April 17 this year.
He wanted to ‘bottle’ Mark Ellis because he believed he was having an affair with his brother’s wife – but attacked the neighbour who came out of his house to help.
Plant has a lengthy criminal record, with convictions for violence and driving offences dating back to the 1980s.
He has been convicted for assault, carrying an air rifle, and battery involving a baseball bat back in 2008.
Christopher Hunt, defending, said that Plant had only being trying to go about “his daily business lawfully” but had “seen red” when provoked by the driver who cut across three lanes to get into the bus lane.
He said: “He has had to sit and wait as his own lights have gone green and red, and green and red again.
“He was not abusive to the other driver, he shook his head and put his hand up.
“There was no need [for Plant to react], he should have just sat tight. He saw red."
Sentencing Plant, District Judge Abelson said: “You are a drink driver, you should not have been driving members of the public around.
“You had the cheek of applying for the job and not telling them. You are stupid enough to get out of your vehicle and, in front of members of the public, walk out and repeatedly punch someone.”
