A South Australian judge has released confronting footage of a brutal, unrelenting attack on an Adelaide bus driver, which occurred in front of shocked passengers. Jake Dylan Morris, 35, has now been jailed after spending more than three years on the run.
Frenzied Assault Caught on Camera
The vision shows Morris launching into a frenzied assault on a packed city bus. The attack was only stopped after his brother pulled him away. A court heard his foul-mouthed tirade was fuelled by alcohol and drugs.
Moments earlier, he and his brother had been asked to leave after allegedly menacing young female passengers. “Shut your mouth while I speak because you’re seconds away from getting it boy,” Morris yells at the driver. “You think you can move now boy you’re in my world.”
Driver's Injuries and Safety Concerns
The driver suffered horrific facial injuries, including a displaced lower jaw and a broken nose. The unprovoked onslaught was widely condemned, reigniting concerns about driver safety. “That’s horrific imagery. It’s disgraceful. It’s reprehensible,” Transport Workers’ Union’s Sam McIntosh told 7NEWS. “We can never see it again.”
Background and Sentencing
The incident happened in 2020, before security screens were installed on buses. Morris fled and remained at large for three years before police finally apprehended him. “It is hard to watch that footage. It is very confronting and it’s why the government did take steps to invest heavily in building the security for our bus drivers,” Government Minister Emily Bourke told 7NEWS.
The court heard Morris has a long criminal history, including aggravated assault on a police officer. His backdated non-parole period of three years means he will remain behind bars until at least December 2028.
