A BIRKDALE man has been sentenced to 12 months' jail for assaulting a bus driver in Capalaba last month.
Peter Dickie, 27, appeared in Cleveland Magistrates Court on Tuesday for sentencing over the attack, which took place at the Capalaba bus interchange on March 15.
The court heard Dickie was boarding the 250 bus when he got into an argument about the fare with the driver, a 55-year-old man from Logan.
He then physically attacked the driver, punching him several times in the face and arm.
When a 70-year-old passenger tried to intervene, Dickie threatened the man and pushed him back.
He was arrested shortly after the assault.
Dickie pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm of the bus driver, the serious assault of the passenger and public nuisance during an appearance in the court last Thursday.
Magistrate Athol Kennedy rebuked Dickie over the attack, rejecting the defendant's claim that he felt intimidated by the driver.
"How brave of you to stand up to a 70-year old man," he said.
"How brave of you to attack a man who was sitting down and cornered in his console.
"[The driver] simply wanted you to pay for your ticket, that's all."
Dickie was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment for assaulting the bus driver and ordered to pay $3000 compensation.
He will eligible for parole on July 9.
For assaulting the elderly passenger, Dickie was placed on 18 months' probation and fined $300 for the public nuisance charge.
He is banned from contacting the driver for two years.
