Traveler convicted that line driver gave headbump because he was not allowed to get off: « It was not an official stop » (Ghent)

The court sentenced the man to a 150 -hour work sentence on Thursday. If he does not perform it correctly, he is a prison sentence of 15 months above his head. He was convicted because he had given a bus driver of the line a headbump.

On the day of the facts, the driver with his bus was on his way to the place on Gent-Dampoort where a colleague would pay him off. That was not an official stop, just a place to change drivers.

Not an official stop

There were two more travelers on the bus, a man and a woman. The man asked the driver if he could get off, but he explained that it is not an official stop there. « A discussion has arisen and the traveler grabbed the driver by the throat and gave a head bump, » said the public prosecutor.

« A discussion has arisen and the traveler grabbed the driver by the throat and given a head bump »

Public prosecutor

Correctional court

Other colleagues from De Lijn have intervened and the man has distributed another punch. The incident can partly be seen on camera images. You see the discussion, but not the head bump and battle, the public prosecutor said. « The driver had redness and swelling in his face. »

The traveler of the traveler explains that his client did not know that it was not a stop there. « It has long been unclear to the Dampoort because of those works, » said his lawyer. « He had kindly asked if he could get off, because he urgently had to go to the toilet. »

The judge still pointed to the contradictory statements in the file.