A PENSIONER hurled homophobic abuse at a bus driver before punching her in the head when she told him to get off.
David Beardmore, 69, assaulted the bus driver and wrecked a Mercedes-Benz outside a social club less than five weeks apart.
Prosecutor, Victoria Hill, told Poole Magistrates Court on July 5 that Beardmore was caught urinating outside Hamworthy Liberal Club on August 22, 2022.
A man, who knew the defendant, was driving past the club in a white Merecedes-Benz Sprinter at around 6.30pm when he spotted Beardmore.
He tried to tell the defendant not to urinate on the building because someone will need to clean it up and in return Beardmore smashed his car.
More than £1,000 of damage was made to the victim’s bonnet and side of his car.
Around a month later, at 5.20pm on September 16, a bus driver told Beardmore he could not board the vehicle due to previous aggressive behaviour.
She pointed at the defendant through the window and wagged her finger telling him not to enter.
However, Beardmore got on the bus anyway and the driver stood in the doorway, saying: “I have told you a million times you cannot get on.”
In return the defendant caller her a w****, a ****ing lesbian **** and a piece of s***.
He then punched her in the side of her face, near her eye, before continuing his verbal abuse.
“I am going to get you,” he said.
Following the incident, the driver attempted to finish her route but soon stopped the vehicle to cry on the curb.
“While I knew Beardmore had an abusive and vile tongue, I never thought he would physically hit me.
“I continued to drive but felt stinging in my eye and thought I should not be driving.”
Beardmore pleaded guilty to his first offence of causing criminal damage but maintained his innocence regarding the assault.
He was later convicted by jury of assault by beating.
Ms Hill said his offences breached two suspended sentences of a similar nature, including causing racially aggravated public order towards a bus user in Bournemouth.
Mitigating, Paul Legg, said Beardmore gave his “sincere apologies” to the bus driver, adding that his actions were disgraceful and that he is ashamed.
It was said that Beardmore suffers from a “significant number of physical ailments” such as heart disease, seizures and hypotension that causes blackouts.
His GP also said in a letter that he believes Beardmore’s public outbursts could be caused by his pain from “bunions and overlapping toes”.
Due to his ill health, Beardmore has failed to attend numerous court hearings over the space of 18 months.
The criminal damage offence was listed in the court 11 times, with the assault being listed 13.
District judge, Orla Austin, sentenced Beardmore in his absence to a community order for two years and made a restraining order that he cannot board any Morebus.
It is understood Morebus has also banned him from its services.
Beardmore, of Keysworth Road in Poole, must pay a £75 fine for each suspended sentence breach, £50 for breaching his conditional discharge, £800 in compensation to the bus driver and £1224 in compensation to the owner of the car.
“If he breaches this order, regardless of his state of heath, I will issue a warrant for arrest and he should expect to go to prison,” said Judge Austin.
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