logo
Teen thug who killed bus driver will get free SNP bus pass on his release

Teen thug who killed bus driver will get free SNP bus pass on his release

Daily Mail​26-04-2025
The widow of a bus driver killed by a violent teenager has expressed fury that his attacker will have his SNP-Green free bus pass reinstated when he finishes his sentence.
Former RAF electrical engineer Keith Rollinson, 58, died in hospital after a brutal assault by a drunken 15-year-old at a bus station in Elgin, Moray, last year.
The boy was eligible for the Scottish Government travel scheme introduced in 2022, which allows Under-22s unlimited free travel on Scotland's buses.
Now Mr Rollinson's wife Susan, 62, has called for the government to remove passes from those who abuse drivers.
Her demands have been backed by the Confederation of Passenger Transport, which has also urged Ministers to consider sanctions.
Mr Rollinson's killer, who will be around 21 when he is released, will be free to continue using his pass.
Mother-of-two Mrs Rollinson hit out: 'The boy who killed my husband will be entitled to a free bus pass when he is released, even though he attacked and killed a bus driver and previously attacked another one.
'I need the SNP to listen to me, listen to the public. Something needs to change.'
Her impassioned plea has prompted Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay to write to both Justice Secretary Angela Constance and Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop to call for an urgent rule change.
He said: 'The passenger, now 16, was charged with murder but a plea deal resulted in him admitting a lesser charge of culpable homicide.
'Sue's pain was further compounded by your government's Under-25 sentencing guidelines, which meant that her husband's killer was sentenced to four years and four months in secure accommodation.
This tragedy is one of many cases of serious violence inflicted by young people in possession of free bus passes.'
He added: 'I would be grateful if you could give a clear commitment to remove bus passes from those who misuse them and provide a specific date on when this will happen.'
The teenager – who cannot be named for legal reasons – attacked Mr Rollinson in February last year.
The short sentence was imposed because of an early guilty plea but also because he was under 25 at the time of his conviction, making him subject to guidelines brought in by the Scottish Sentencing Council, set up by the SNP Government in 2022.
The boy has been sent to a 'therapeutic' secure care unit in Paisley due to more SNP rules brought in last year which prevent offenders under 18 going to prison.
MSPs agreed to consider suspending passes for those who abuse the system last year, but in an amendment backed by a number of parliamentarians the Scottish Greens removed mention of the bus scheme specifically.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: 'The Cabinet Secretary for Transport met Unite union representatives to confirm that she is committed to ensuring a full range of options are available to support the police, local authorities and bus operators to tackle this issue.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

SNP accused of having 'no real plan' to ban boilers as clean heat applications decline
SNP accused of having 'no real plan' to ban boilers as clean heat applications decline

Scotsman

time24 minutes ago

  • Scotsman

SNP accused of having 'no real plan' to ban boilers as clean heat applications decline

The Scottish Government is set to publish its flagship Heat in Buildings Bill in the coming months. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... SNP ministers have been accused of having 'no real plan to decarbonise homes' after the number of grants and loans for clean systems has dropped over the last two years. The Scottish Government is poised to publish its long-delayed Heat in Buildings Bill in the coming months which will map out a strategy to ending fossil fuel boilers being used to heat buildings by 2045, but has been criticised for watering down its initial ambition. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Air Source Heat Pumps Despite a need to accelerate the number of heat pumps being installed in homes, statistics show that the number of applications to the Home Energy Scotland grant and loan scheme fell from 2022-23 to 2022-24 with a further drop to 2024-25. For clean heating systems including heat pumps, grant funding of up to £7,500 is available, with an additional £7,500 of funding available as an interest free loan. According to the statistics, 7,540 applications to the support scheme were received in 2022-23, falling to 6,516 in 2023-24 and just 5,120 in 2024-25. The Scottish Government removed the ability to apply for funding for solar projects through the scheme amid fears those applications were swallowing too much of the money. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But the number of applications containing heat pumps has only increased from 2,537 in 2022-23 to 3,085 in 2023-24 to 3,130 in 2024-25. According to official figures for MCS accredited installations, the number of heat pumps in Scotland doubled from 2,448 in 2019 to 5,146 in 2922. A total of 6,388 heat pumps were installed in 2023, while the number was 7,660 in 2024. Emissions in the buildings sector have decreased by more than 30 per cent since 1990 but the Scottish Government will need to ramp up the pace if the heat transition is to be completed by 2045. Scottish Labour net zero spokesperson, Sarah Boyack, said: 'By upgrading houses we can make people's homes warmer and keep their bills lower, but the SNP's flagship scheme is in chaos. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scottish Labour's Sarah Boyack 'From failing to retrofit homes and to delaying its Heat in Buildings Bill, it's clear the SNP has no real plan to decarbonise homes. 'The SNP must urgently identify what is causing this decline and set out a workable strategy to upgrade homes, cut people's heating costs and emissions and ensure that there are skilled staff available to deliver the improvements needed across Scotland.' Scottish Conservative shadow energy secretary, Douglas Lumsden, said: 'This shows that Scots are turning their back on the SNP's unrealistic heat pump plans. Conservative MSP Douglas Lumsden | supplied 'That's hardly surprising given households would have to foot huge bills to install these new systems. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'SNP ministers should do the right thing and scrap their heat in buildings bill, which would make Scots poorer.' In April, the Scottish Government confirmed it was scrapping deadlines legally-requiring homeowners to replace gas boilers after claiming the original strategy, drawn up by Patrick Harvie risked 'burdening every individual householder with an overly onerous responsibility'. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'The Home Energy Scotland grant and loan scheme remains a significant driver of heat pump installations in Scotland, with more than 2,500 heat pumps funded in 2024.

Food standards cuts leaving Scots 'sick to their stomach'
Food standards cuts leaving Scots 'sick to their stomach'

Scotsman

time24 minutes ago

  • Scotsman

Food standards cuts leaving Scots 'sick to their stomach'

The Scottish Tories accused SNP ministers of putting food safety at risk Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Almost 1,000 fewer food business inspections took place in Scotland last year due to budget cuts which are making Scots "sick to their stomach", it has been warned. The Scottish Conservatives accused SNP ministers of putting food safety at risk by reducing the budgets of local authorities and Food Standards Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The party said the quango had suffered an 18 per cent cut in real terms since 2022/23, with employee numbers falling each year since 2021. A plate of fried food | PA The number of food business inspections dropped from 20,409 in 2023 to 19,466 last year, according to figures provided by the Scottish Government. Meanwhile, detections of campylobacter, the most common bacterial cause of food poisoning, increased by nearly 7 per cent between 2022 and 2023, with detections of salmonella up by almost 9 per cent. Tory MSP Liam Kerr said: 'We know the damage SNP cuts are doing across Scotland, but it looks as though these ones are literally making Scots sick to their stomach. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The work of Food Standards Scotland is vitally important, yet SNP ministers are failing to give them the resources they need. That is leading to fewer food inspections being carried out and a lack of prosecutions for food crimes. 'At the same time, shockingly yet predictably, the number of food poisoning-related illnesses has sharply increased in Scotland. 'SNP cuts to Food Standards Scotland and local councils across the country are putting food safety at risk in our communities. These cuts must be reversed to protect public health and ease the pressure on staff who are being asked to do more with less.' He made the comments ahead of a scheduled meeting between SNP public health minister Jenni Minto and Food Standards Scotland next week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Geoff Ogle, chief executive of Food Standards Scotland, said it had experienced a decline in resources and staffing. He said: 'Protecting public health through safe food is, and always will be, our top priority. 'The figures quoted reflect challenges we've been highlighting for several years. Our joint annual report with the Food Standards Agency has consistently shown a decline in resources, staffing, and sampling capacity across the system. These are not new concerns - we've been clear that reductions in budgets have affected our ability to carry out some functions. 'However, more resource alone won't solve the problem. That's why we're working closely with the Scottish Government and local authorities on a wide-ranging programme to reform how food law is delivered in Scotland — to make it more resilient, risk-based and fit for the future. 'It is also important to note that the cause of fluctuations in public health data is a complex issue. Increases in campylobacter and salmonella, for example, are influenced by multiple factors — including consumer behaviour, global supply chains, foreign travel and climate. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We are not complacent about the risks, and we continue to take them very seriously. But it's important to recognise that these challenges are long-standing, and addressing them requires not only funding, but structural change to how the system works.'

'This is not the Glasgow residents deserve'
'This is not the Glasgow residents deserve'

Glasgow Times

time26 minutes ago

  • Glasgow Times

'This is not the Glasgow residents deserve'

Within the Greater Pollok ward, we see the impact of the cuts that have been made since 2012 with overgrown grass verges, weeds growing out of the edge of pavements, litter, rats in overflowing bin areas, potholes, and blocked gullies. Walk through Glasgow and the decline is impossible to miss – litter-strewn streets, overflowing bins, fly-tipping, and potholes so bad they've earned us the title of the "pothole capital of the UK." With over 9,000 open pothole reports, Glasgow leads the pack in Scotland – and repairs are taking months, if they happen at all. This isn't a national issue – it's a local one. Under the SNP's watch, street cleansing staff numbers plunged from 485 in 2019 to just 383 by 2023. Even the city's parks teams dropped from 305 to 267. Yes, there has been a recent recruitment drive ahead of the Commonwealth Games, but we're still well below what is required and expected for a city of our size. You can't slash essential staff and expect the streets to stay clean. It's like turning off fire engines and hoping there'll be no fires. Meanwhile, rat sightings in Glasgow have soared – rising from 5,348 in 2018/19 to 7,948 in 2022/23 – a staggering 46% increase. According to the GMB union, rat sightings have trebled over the last decade and are now as common as pigeons. This is not the Glasgow residents deserve. It's not just about aesthetics – it's about pride, health, and safety. With pothole-ridden roads, missed bin collections, and vermin on the rise, people feel ignored. And too often, this SNP City Administration has ignored them. Glasgow Labour believes we must get back to basics. That means prioritising core services: clean streets, safe roads, and responsive local teams. We must reinvest in frontline workers, strengthen waste collection, tackle fly-tipping, and ensure residents' complaints aren't just logged – but acted on. We also believe in partnership with our communities. Across the city, community organisations and volunteers are stepping in where the Council has failed – organising clean-ups, maintaining parks, and reporting fly-tipping. They shouldn't have to. But their efforts show what's possible when people are empowered and supported. A Labour-led council would value that community spirit – not take it for granted. We'd put it at the heart of service delivery, backing it with staff, resources, and a proper plan. The SNP City Administration in Glasgow has had years to get this right. Instead, we've seen cut after cut, while our neighbourhoods fall further into neglect. It doesn't have to be this way. Glasgow is a city of pride, resilience, and determination. But that spirit isn't being matched by the political leadership at the top of the Council. We need action. A commitment to clean, safe streets – not just PR spin and empty rhetoric, which Glaswegians have become all too familiar with since 2017. It's time to stop settling for failure. It's time to clean up Glasgow – for good.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store