Drunken teenager kills Elgin bus driver in violent assault after he refuses to board bus

A drunken teenager who killed a bus driver after being refused entry to his coach showed an “air of arrogance” about the attack on police.

The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, did not “appreciate the gravity” of how his actions caused the death of Keith Rollinson at Elgin bus station in February 2024.

Edinburgh High Court heard on Friday how detectives observed the young man’s indifference when interviewing him hours after the fatal attack.

He had previously assaulted another bus driver.

Prosecutor John Keenan KC told Judge Lady Hood how the young man had spent the night of Friday, February 2, 2024, drinking with friends in Elgin town centre.

He had decided to take a bus to his house. However, Mr Rollinson refused to allow him into his coach due to his level of intoxication.

Rollinson, who worked for Stagecoach, asked passengers to leave the bus while he sought help from colleagues on how to deal with the young man.

But the young man launched a brutal assault on the married father.

Members of Mr Rollinson’s family left the court as Keenan played CCTV footage of the attack.

Lady Hood saw the young man headbutt Mr Rollinson, before repeatedly punching him in the head and body.

This caused the former RAF man, who suffered from significant health problems, to fall, collapse and eventually die.

Keenan said police located the young man shortly after the attack and arrested him.

He told Lady Hood the young man’s impression of the police officers who interviewed him.

The lawyer said: “The accused was quickly identified and traced to his home. Officers began to caution him and arrest him on suspicion of assault but received a message that the deceased had dead

“He was later cautioned and arrested for murder.

“The arresting officers commented that at times he was upset, but at others he showed an air of arrogance and did not seem to appreciate the gravity of the situation.

“He made unsolicited comments that he had acted in self-defence and that he had prayed to God that the deceased was OK. He said he had suffered an injury to his hand.”

The story emerged after the teenager pleaded guilty to the culpable homicide of Mr Rollinson at a hearing on Friday morning.

Keenan told the court that the accused was “well known” to the police, social workers and children’s reporter in Moray.

The prosecutor said the young man had been reported to the police on “numerous occasions” for offences, including an assault on another bus driver.

Mr Keenan added: “I was subject to a supervision order which was terminated on 16 January 2024 in relation to this latest matter.”

The court heard that Rollinson had been working for Stagecoach for about a year after previously serving in the RAF.

The barrister spoke of how the young man had spent the night drinking in Elgin town center and was “noticeably intoxicated”.

The court heard how he decided to return home shortly after 10pm and went to Elgin bus station.

He attempted to board Mr. Rollinson’s coach, but was refused admittance.

Mr Keenan added: “The defendant was agitated and upset about this and argued with the deceased, telling him it was illegal to refuse travel to someone under 16 and he had no other way of getting at home

“The deceased switched off the engine of the bus, told the other passengers not to move until the accused got off the bus and headed towards the hall.

“The defendant continued to protest, and it was clear that he had issues with the deceased.

“He got off the bus and called the police to complain that the deceased was not allowing him to travel.”

The court heard the youth then began filming Rollinson on his mobile phone.

Lady Hood heard Mr. Rollinson pick up the phone and the two began to struggle.

The young man headbutted Mr Rollinson, who threw the phone to the ground before punching him several times.

Describing the attack, Keenan said: “In this case the defendant completely lost control, raining punches on the deceased’s head and body.

“The deceased did not retaliate but tried to get away from the accused. The accused was later found to have a fractured bone in his hand.

“He was eventually pulled out by another young man. The deceased initially appeared to be okay, but shortly after bending down to pick up the cap, he collapsed to the ground unconscious.

“He was immediately attended to by a colleague, then by the police and paramedics.

“Advanced life-saving procedures were carried out at the site.

“He was taken to hospital by ambulance. He never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at 00:45 on Saturday 3 February 2024.”

The court heard how the accused left the scene in a taxi with his girlfriend.

Later, the police located the taxi driver, who said that the young man had spoken several times about the assault during the journey.

He later called a friend and admitted to hitting the bus driver.

Keenan said: “He said he wouldn’t wake up. He was upset and crying.”

Doctors who performed an autopsy on Mr. Rollinson found that his skull was intact and there was no underlying brain injury.

The cause of his death was recorded as heart disease, diabetes and coronary problems.

Keena said: “The pathologist reported that the deceased had significant heart disease and would have been at risk of a sudden fatal cardiac event at any time.

“Most likely, the physical altercation as a whole led to an increase in blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia followed by cardiac arrest.

“He also had diabetes, which would have predisposed him to heart disease and as such may also have played a role in his death.

“Given the close temporal relationship between the assault and the collapse, the events appear to be linked, and had it not been for the assault, he may not have died when he did.”

Lady Hood adjourned sentencing to obtain a background report on the young man and remanded him in custody.

The youth will be sentenced at Inverness High Court on November 18, 2024.