Glider: Attacked Belfast bus worker says tougher sentences needed
- Published
Attacks on Glider staff are 'scary', says Mervyn Adair
A Glider bus worker who has been assaulted multiple times has said there needs to be tougher sentencing for those convicted of such crimes.
Figures from Translink show there were 28 physical assaults on Glider staff in 2023, the highest figure in four years.
Mervyn Adair, a customer revenue protection officer (CRPO), said he had been attacked four or five times.
He told BBC News NI sentences were "lenient" and "not enough to deter people".
Translink said the safety of staff and passengers is its top priority and it has a zero tolerance policy for anti-social behaviour.
Punched in jaw
Mr Adair has been part of the team since the Glider was launched five years ago.
The route crosses Belfast from west to east, with a service also taking passengers to the Titanic Quarter.
His job involves offering advice to customers and checking tickets on board.
The last time he was attacked, he said he was punched in the jaw and had to take time off work.
"It was sore," he continued.
There were more than 90 attacks on Glider staff between 2020 and 2023
"You don't go out to do a day's work expecting to get assaulted. But it happens, it's scary."
Mr Adair said two of the assaults have resulted in custodial sentences of three months.
While pleased with the prosecutions, he said the sentences were not tough enough.
"The police are doing their job," he told BBC News NI.
"Translink are doing their job getting police the evidence. The problem is that when it comes to court, the sentencing seems to be very lenient. They don't seem to be taking it seriously."
The Office for the Lady Chief Justice said it could not comment on individual cases and sentencing in courts will depend on the individual factors of each case.
However, a spokesperson said where "such an offence is inflicted upon a victim who is providing a service to the public this is taken into account by the court as an aggravating factor".
The latest figures released by Translink show an increase in the number of assaults last year.
2023 - 28 physical assaults
2022 - 19 physical assaults
2021 - 26 physical assaults
2020 - 18 physical assaults
The company added that during 2023 one individual was responsible for almost a quarter of all incidents and is working with the youth justice system.
Translink's Belfast Area Manager Damian Bannon said although some of the offenders are under 18 the majority of assaults are carried out by adults and the "common denominator" is often drugs or alcohol abuse.
He said this can give rise to conflict.
Translink has warned passengers of the penalties if staff are attacked
Mr Bannon continued that the attacks are a "wider societal issue", but the company engages widely within the community and have a number of measures in place to enhance staff and passenger safety.
These include CCTV filmed on vehicles and at halts, as well as staff using body-worn cameras.
Translink, he said, works with politicians and community representatives, and has a partnership with the PSNI through the 'Safe Transport Team', where a number of police officers are dedicated to the transport network and are deployed in the event of an incident.
He said there are also outreach programmes with schools and youth groups.
'You'll be identified'
The Translink manager said prevention is what they set out to achieve and warned anyone "who is inclined to attack a colleague - think again". "You'll be identified straight off," he said.
Damian Bannon said the attacks are a "wider societal issue"
Translink said it had reached out to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) to highlight the impact of attack incidents when assessing the appropriate treatment of perpetrators.
In response, the PPS told the BBC that sentencing is a matter for the judiciary, but "transport workers provide a vital service to the public and should be able to go about their work without fear of offences being committed against them".
The PPS is responsible for ensuring that investigation files submitted from the PSNI meet the test for prosecution.
The BBC understands that the PPS have responded with an offer of a meeting with Translink to discuss incidences of assaults on their staff which is expected to take place soon.