Parents push for change after violent assault on Junee school bus

9.30AM UPDATE | THE Junee Bulletin has obtained confronting footage of Friday’s violent assault, which erupted in full view of children aboard a school bus in Junee.

The footage, filmed by a student seated at the rear of the bus, shows the bus already stopped on Byrnes Road near the Junee abattoir when a 61-year-old male passenger allegedly stands from his seat, approaches a 52-year-old man seated in front of him and places an object around his neck.

The female bus driver is then seen attempting to de-escalate the situation before a violent altercation unfolds in full view of dozens of school students.

Image: Supplied

In the video, the younger man is seen allegedly pushing the older passenger to the floor of the bus aisle, where the confrontation continues before a third man intervenes and tries separating the pair.

Image: Supplied

Following the incident, the younger man can be heard addressing students on the bus.

“How f****** dare you grab me from behind mate, and with a rope, in front of students,” he says in the footage before apologising to the children, who remained seated throughout the ordeal.

“Sorry kids. I only did that to get myself out of that position.”

Image: Supplied

A woman who attended the scene to collect her son said the incident was not an unprovoked attack.

The mother, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Junee Bulletin the level of violence and aggression displayed was “uncontrolled and beyond excessive”.

“The best way I can describe it would be two grown men on a bus, both behaving absolutely atrociously, surrounded by school children who were behaving in every way these two grown men weren’t,” she said.

The 61-year-old man was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics at the scene before being transported to Junee Hospital.

The 52-year-old man was arrested on Friday night and charged with affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He was refused police bail and was due to face a bail court via audio-visual link on Saturday.

Investigations are continuing, with police urging anyone with information or mobile phone footage to contact Junee Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

FIRST AT 5:00 AM | PARENTS are demanding action after a man was allegedly bashed on a school bus in Junee on Friday afternoon while frightened students watched on.

A 52-year-old man has since been charged over the shocking incident, which unfolded on a Wagga-to-Junee service carrying local schoolchildren and adult members of the public, prompting renewed calls for student-only bus services.

Police allege the man became aggressive towards the female bus driver – a local grandmother – before attacking a 61-year-old male passenger in full view of students as the bus approached Junee on Byrnes Road about 4.30pm on June 19.

“Officers attached to Riverina Police District attended and were told a 61-year-old man was assaulted by another man, who had allegedly been acting aggressively towards the bus driver,” a NSW Police spokesperson said.

The Junee Bulletin has been told the driver tried to de-escalate the situation and brought the bus to a stop near the Junee abattoir, where she worked to calm frightened children at the front of the bus until emergency services arrived.

It’s understood another adult male passenger intervened during the assault, attempting to pull the 52-year-old man away from the older man.

The mother of a senior student who was aboard the bus, and who requested to remain anonymous, said reports that students physically intervened were incorrect.

She praised the female bus driver for the way in which she handled the situation, and the member of the public who stepped in to help.

“Every student stayed exactly where they were seated for the duration of the assault,” she said.

“After the man was pulled away and moved to the front of the bus by another passenger, the driver called out to a year 11 student at the back of the bus to call police.

“Credit to the kids, they were calm, supported each other and didn’t intervene. If they had, they would have been hurt.”

Police, paramedics and panicked parents attended the scene near the Junee abattoir on Byrnes Road on Friday afternoon | Image: Google

The woman told The Junee Bulletin her son instead focused on reassuring frightened students around him.

“My year 11 son was on the bus. He’s a tall, strong boy, but he knew the level of violence displayed by the man would have most likely turned towards him if he intervened,” she said.

“What he did do was assure those around him, especially the scared female students, that he would protect them if the man did pose a physical risk to them.”

Family members of the driver said she remained deeply upset by the incident on Saturday, particularly because of the impact it had on the children aboard the bus.

One relative said the local grandmother was “too shattered, not for herself but for what the kids had to experience on the bus”.

The alleged victim of the assault, a 61-year-old man, was reportedly left bleeding from a head wound.

Police say he was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to Junee Hospital for treatment.

The incident occurred on one of the regular afternoon school services operated by Junee Buses between Wagga and Junee.

The service carries dozens of local students each day while also accommodating members of the public who rely on regional public transport.

The buses collect students from up to 16 schools across Wagga, including at least nine primary schools.

The Junee-Wagga school bus also accommodates members of the public who rely on regional public transport | File Image/Wikimedia/Bidgee ( CC BY-SA 3.0)

“Mum I’m scared … there is a crazy guy on the bus.”

For many children on board, Friday’s events were deeply distressing.

Junee mother Nicolette James turned to social media seeking urgent help after receiving a message from her 12-year-old daughter, who told her she was scared because a “crazy guy” was on the bus abusing the driver.

“Can someone please go check in on my daughter,” she wrote, sharing a screenshot from the Find My app showing her daughter’s location near the Junee abattoir on Byrnes Road.

“There was another assault on a school bus. I’m stuck in Wagga at the moment. I just need to make sure she gets home safely.”

Images: Facebook/Nicolette James

The post quickly attracted dozens of responses from concerned residents, with several offering to collect Ms James’ daughter or stay with her until she could return from Wagga.

The Junee mother later commended the actions of the senior student who called police and said her daughter praised the bus driver, calling her “a nice lady”.

“She got home safely and told me the bus driver did a great job at trying to stop it and calm all the children down,” Ms James wrote.

“And a massive thank you to the year 11 boy who called the police.”

Junee Buses operations manager Heather Howell attended the scene after being notified of the incident and later apologised to families.

“Unfortunately there was an incident on the bus on the way home,” Ms Howell wrote.

“As soon as I was notified, I called the police and attended the scene. I deeply apologise to everyone involved.”

She invited concerned parents to contact the company or attend the Junee Buses depot on Monday morning to discuss the incident.

Concerned parents are encouraged to contact Junee Buses to discuss the incident | Image: Google

Police investigations moved quickly on Friday night, resulting in charges being laid within hours of the incident.

In a statement overnight, a NSW Police spokesperson confirmed a 52-year-old man was arrested about 7.45pm and taken to Junee Police Station where he was charged with affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The man was refused bail and is due to appear via audio visual link in Bail Division Local Court 5 today, Saturday, June 20.

Police are urging anyone with information or mobile phone footage of the incident to contact Junee Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Junee Police Station | File image/© The Junee Bulletin

“Something needs to be done.”

The assault has reignited a long-running debate about schoolchildren sharing the same bus with members of the public.

Parents have repeatedly raised concerns over the arrangement, arguing students should be able to travel to and from school without being exposed to such risks.

“This is the second incident that has occurred on this bus with adults in front of all aged children,” Joe Flaws said.

“Our daughter has not long gotten over the last incident she witnessed. I think its time that our local member got involved since the bus company can’t change it.”

Responding to Ms James’ post on Facebook, Sharon Brewer-Manning said it was “mind blowing” that children had been forced to witness such a serious altercation.

She said students were left distressed after being trapped on the bus while the assault unfolded.

“I know my child and others are very distressed and traumatised after witnessing this, being trapped inside the bus while this took place,” Ms Brewer-Manning wrote.

“It was only luck that a child wasn’t physically hurt. Something needs to be done to ensure the children aren’t put at risk again.”

Other parents questioned why adult passengers were allowed to travel alongside school children at all.

“This is terrible … teachers and bus drivers all need working with children’s checks to have contact with children, but these random strangers can access the buses and kids without them. Surely this is enough reason for concern,” Julie Garnock wrote.

Andrew Dwyer agreed.

“The kids need safe travel arrangements as they have to go to school,” he said.

“Convenience isn’t a good enough excuse to have the public amongst school children.”

Several parents said they planned to push for changes to the service, arguing Friday’s incident highlighted the need for students to travel separately from adult passengers.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify the actions of those involved during the incident. Additional information received after publication indicates an adult passenger physically intervened during the assault, while a year 11 student contacted police at the driver’s request.