One man has been jailed and another narrowly avoided prison for getting into a wrestling match with a bus driver in Bexleyheath.

Tyler Belgrave-Breeds and friend Shaun Dickson, both 23, were caught on CCTV brawling with driver David Newstead, 44, from Northfleet.

After Dickson was asked to leave the number 89 bus for having an out-of-date pass, Belgrave-Breeds hurled abuse at Mr Newstead, repeatedly turned the mirror of the double-decker back-to-front as a prank and threw a can of drink at the driver’s head.

Dickson became involved in the scuffle which followed, watched by dozens of school children and other onlookers at the bus stop by the Clock Tower in Bexleyheath at just after 7.50am on March 27.

At Bromley Magistrates’ Court on October 17 Dickson and Belgrave-Breeds were both convicted of affray in their absence.

News Shopper:

Belgrave-Breeds shapes up to throw a can at the back of Mr Newstead's head.

They appeared at Bromley for sentencing yesterday (November 7) facing an additional charge of failing to surrender themselves to the court for their original trial.

District Judge Nigel Dean gave Belgrave-Breeds, of Brastead Road, Erith, a 14-week prison sentence.

Dickson, of Lowfield Street, Dartford, was given a 10-week sentence suspended for 12 months, ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and to pay £200 costs.

Both men must also pay an £80 victim surcharge.

Mr Newstead, a father-of-10 who lives in Landseer Avenue, Northfleet, lost his job over the incident when employers Go Ahead dismissed him for ‘gross misconduct’.

He pleaded guilty to affray and was given a conditional discharge at a hearing in August.

Speaking after Belgrave-Breeds was sentenced to jail Mr Newstead told News Shopper: "Once he's done his 14 weeks inside he'll be out and free to do whatever he wants again. 

"It's probably about right for what he did but is it going to make a difference?

"Is he going to change and be a good boy afterwards or is he going to carry on and do whatever?

"From a personal vendetta point of view I think Dickson should have got the same but the way the judge has done it with the unpaid work order he's actually going to be putting something back into the community, which is good.

"In a way it's all come to an end for me now I suppose but I'm still stuck doing the 25 hours a week part time for my mate.

"I've stopped applying for other bus companies now."