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Court told of bus trouble following party

A COURT yesterday heard how violence erupted following a boozy party hosted by Stagecoach multi-millionaire Brian Souter, writes Dave Lord.

One reveller told Perth Sheriff Court he downed beer, champagne and 12 glasses of wine before biting another man during the “rammy.”
Mr Souter had organised the party—which featured a champagne reception and free bar—to honour long-term workers.
The extravaganza was held at the businessman’s private property near Crieff and it was on a bus taking revellers back to Perth that things turned nasty.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how one man—the husband of a Stagecoach employee—was left requiring hospital treatment after his thumb was bitten “to the bone.”
Another contacted the police to allege assault after he was punched in the face.
Meanwhile, a couple were accused of making inappropriate and sordid comments while “simulating sex” on the bus.
Details of the boozy brawl came to light as Roderick Mackenzie stood trial accused of assault.
The 52-year-old, of Nimmo Place, Perth, denied that on May 11, on a bus travelling on the A85 between Crieff and Methven, he assaulted Martin Wood, repeatedly punching him on the head to his injury.
The court heard from several witnesses before Sheriff Michael Fletcher ruled the case against him was not proven.
Meanwhile, Andrew Munns (52), of Simpson Place, Perth, was found not guilty of the same charge.
Mr Wood said he was “just having a laugh” with a female friend when trouble began to brew.
Mr Wood added, “I have six piercings in my face and these men said they were going to rip them out.
“Somebody then struck me,” he told the court.
“I was held down and somebody tried to put their fingers in my eyes so I bit him—it was all I could do.”
Mr Wood said he had been left with severe bruising and blurred eyesight following the incident.
During cross examination he said he had drunk a “fair bit.”
When pressed he added, “I had about 12 glasses of wine, a couple of beers and a glass of champagne.”
Mr Wood also denied he had boasted of his passion for “extreme sex” and that he invited female passengers to a “threesome.”
Meanwhile, Mr Mackenzie’s partner, Norma Scott, said the trouble began because Mr Wood was “having sex at the back of the bus and boasting about it.”
“Roddy (Mackenzie) could see how distressed I was so he stood up and said, ‘I have had enough of this’,” the 53-year-old explained.
“I have no idea what happened then as I just put my head down and stayed there.
“I heard a lot of shouting and then I heard a high-pitched scream from Roddy.
“I looked up and could see Martin Wood was biting Roddy’s thumb. It was bitten through to the bone and bleeding very badly.”
Giving evidence in his own defence, Mr Mackenzie—who does not work for Stagecoach and was there following an invitation from his partner—denied that he threw the first punch.
“There was some banter going on and there were some comments about his (Mr Wood’s) facial piercings,” he said.
“He was with a girl and they were simulating sex and making sexual comments toward my partner.
“It was starting to make Norma quite upset so I stood up and told him he was out of order.
“I leaned over to tell him to shut up and he punched me.
“I grabbed hold of his arms and pushed him back.
“He was trying to headbutt me... and then bit me on the thumb,” Mr Mackenzie continued.
“I punched him to make him let go of my thumb.”
Sheriff Fletcher concluded there was “insufficient evidence” to prove the case against Mackenzie “beyond reasonable doubt.”
“In these circumstances I find the charge not proven,” he said.
A spokesman for Stagecoach declined to comment on the case.