Bus driver 'did not follow training' over rape case
A bus driver did not follow his training when he refused to let a woman who was later raped get her last bus home, his employer has said.
The driver told her to get off the bus in Nottingham city centre because she was 20p short of the £5 fare.
She called her mother for a lift but was then beaten and raped by Joseph Moran, 19, who was convicted this week.
Bus company Trent Barton said the matter had been dealt with through its disciplinary procedure.
A spokesperson for the company said: "Our drivers are well known for looking after people and there have been many examples of exceptional service by our teams, even including paying their own customers' fares out of their own pocket.
"Sadly on this occasion this did not happen and our driver did not follow his training.
"The matter was dealt with through our disciplinary procedure within days of the incident last December."
Dragged into park
The woman, 22, had been out with friends for an early Christmas celebration.
The trial at Nottingham Crown Court heard she tried to board the night bus at about 03:00 GMT on 10 December.
CCTV footage showed her on the bus for eight minutes as she looked for change and asked the driver to let her travel.
None of the bus passengers offered her the remaining 20p.
After telephoning her mother she started walking north out of the city centre towards Mansfield Road.
As she approached the Forest Recreation Ground, Moran grabbed her and dragged her into the park.
Her mother was coincidentally pulled over by police nearby, who were suspicious because she was driving slowly.
Moran approached the police car and pretended he had found the woman injured, and had tried to help her.
Officers found the woman unconscious with multiple injuries and arrested Moran.
Moran, of Walker Street in Sneinton, Nottingham, was found guilty of rape and wounding with intent on Thursday.
Det Ch Insp Rob Griffin, who led the investigation, said Nottinghamshire Police would work with bus companies, including Trent Barton, to make the city safer at night.
"When the dust settles we will work together with all of the agencies," he said.
"That will include the bus companies - we work with many bus companies in the city - and we will discuss with each and every one of them what we can do, and that will include what they can do, to make Nottingham a safer place for people to visit at night."
Moran is due to be sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on 27 July.