Violent teen jailed for loss of life of bus driver may very well be let out early as widow slams ‘betrayal of justice’

A teenage thug who killed a bus driver last year could be set free within months – in what the victim’s widow has called ‘a shocking betrayal of justice’.

In an appalling act of violence, the youth, who was wildly drunk, attacked 58-year-old Keith Rollinson who had refused to let him board the bus.

A judge later called it a ‘frenzied attack’ and revealed the teenager had repeatedly been in trouble with the police, and had previously assaulted another bus driver.

But thanks to ‘soft-touch’ legislation introduced by the SNP, the attacker – who admitted culpable homicide – was sentenced to just four years and four months.

However Mr Rollinson’s widow, Susan, has now been told the killer is set to be freed next year.

Mrs Rollinson, 63, asked: ‘How is that justice? That’s not any sort of punishment for taking a life.’

Meanwhile Russell Findlay, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said the use of reduced sentences to offenders under the age of 25 should be scrapped.

He added: ‘This shocking revelation has caused understandable shock, pain and confusion to Keith’s family who continue to be betrayed by the SNP’s weak justice agenda.

‘Surely no reasonable person can think it’s appropriate for a killer to be let out so soon?’

Bus driver Keith Rollinson died of a heart attack after he was attacked by the violent teen

My Rollinson’s death shocked Scotland given the young age of his attacker and the violence he was subjected to purely for doing his job

Tributes left for Mr Rollinson at Elgin Bus Station following his untimely death

Mr Rollinson died following the assault at a bus station in Elgin in Moray in February last year.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the boy, 15 at the time, head-butted Mr Rollinson before raining punches down on him.

The driver suffered a cardiac arrest and was taken to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin where he died.

Passing sentence last November, Lady Hood told the teenager that his sentence would be reduced because he had submitted an early guilty plea and also because being under 25 made him subject to new guidelines.

However, Mrs Rollinson last week received a letter from the Scottish Government’s Victim Notification Scheme telling her that the killer is due to be released in December next year. The letter then added that he could be paroled even earlier.

Mrs Rollinson, who is the mother of two adult daughters, said the original sentence was ‘ridiculous for what he did.’

She added: ‘Now I’m being told he will only serve two years and ten months at most, and his sentence could be reduced even more so that he’s out within months.

‘Our world’s been shattered, completely turned upside down.

‘Losing him has been a life sentence for us.’

The Scottish Government said it had no role in sentencing or sentencing guidelines.

A spokesperson said: ‘Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Keith Rollinson who have lost a loved one in horrific circumstances.

‘Sentencing in any given case is always a matter for the independent courts. 

‘The Scottish Government cannot comment on sentencing decisions and has no role in approving sentencing guidelines which are approved by Scotland’s most senior judges in the High Court.’