Bus station thug punched, bit and spat at driver while armed with bag of knives and baseball bat

Charlie Brearley was locked up for 13 months over the incident at Wakefield Bus Station which left the victim needing hospital treatment.

Leeds Crown Court heard Brearley, 24, was carrying a bag containing a baseball bat, a meat cleaver, a combat knife and a kitchen knife when he entered the station at 11am on October 15 last year.

Katie Varlow, prosecuting, said the station was busy with people when Brearley boarded a bus and asked the driver what time his next bus would be.

The driver told Brearley to go to the travel centre to ask for help and the defendant became aggressive.

He swore at the driver and continued to be abusive.

Another driver got on the bus to try to intervene but Brearley became even more aggressive.

The driver said he was going to get a manager and Brearley spat at his back as he turned away.

Miss Varlow said Brearley then punched him twice in the face.

Both drivers managed to detain Brearley on the ground after a struggle.

The driver who was punched was also bitten on the arm.

The court heard the bite broke the skin and the victim needed hospital treatment including a hepatitis injection.

Police arrested Brearley and he claimed the bag belonged to someone else.

Miss Varlow said Brearley ripped up a pillow in his cell when he was taken to a police station.

Brearley, of Emblem Terrace, Portobello, Wakefield, pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of a bladed article, possession of an offensive weapon and criminal damage.

He denied common assault but failed to attend his trial at Leeds Magistrates Court on April 18 this year and was found guilty in his absence.

Brearley has previous convictions for assault, false imprisonment and breaching court orders.

Joanna Shepherd, mitigating, said Brearley pleaded guilty to the weapons offences at an early stage.

She asked Judge Neil Clark to consider reducing the length of her client's sentence due to current tougher prison conditions because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Judge Clark told Brearley: "This was a public attack on a public servant and there was no reason for it.

"It was sustained and persistent and you used your teeth as a weapon."