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.'