'Thug' father attacks bus driver who saved his son's life

A man has been in court this week after attacking a bus driver who potentially saved his son's life.

Driver William O'Doherty was praised after he swerved his bus when a boy stepped out into the road in Manchester on 2 October 2014.

The 11-year-old was clipped by the back end of the bus, and O'Doherty got out of his cab to see if he was ok.

However, the boy's dad, Andrew Berry, 33, heard about the incident and when he arrived at the scene, attacked O'Doherty from behind while the driver was tending to his son.

Mr O'Doherty suffered a cut eye and bruising and was said to have been left shocked, taking a week off work.

The move was described as a cowardly attack, and this week the prosecution said the driver's action avoided a potential "tragedy".

Berry, from Pendleton, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr O'Doherty and was sentenced to four months imprisonment suspended for 18 months.

According to the Mirror, the court also imposed a six-month curfew keeping him indoors between 7pm and 7am

Court chairman Mrs Shelagh Mayer said: "The defendant should have been grateful to the driver instead of treating him like a thug.

"Due to his skilfull driving he saved the boy's life and avoided a tragedy."

According to the Daily Mail, Abigail Henry, defending, said: "He acted in severe shock thinking his son was seriously injured or dead. It was an isolated incident and if he had known the facts this wouldn't have happened.

"It was very much in the heat of the moment and completely out of character."