An American man from a prominent wine-making family has been jailed for punching and kneeing a Sydney bus driver in a brutal attack that was caught on CCTv

Samuel Alan Smith, 27, left 57-year-old John Olsen with a broken nose, black eyes and cuts to his face after he attacked him at Scarborough Crescent, North Bondi, around 3.40am on September 23.There were no other passengers aboard at the time but the bus's security cameras filmed Smith as he rained blows on the hapless driver.Smith, who was working as a sommelier at Sydney's prestigious Testsuyas restaurant, lashed out at Mr Olsen after refusing to get off the bus at the end of its route. Smith kicked, punched and kneed the bus driver outside the vehicle, at one point grabbing him in a headlock.

After initially halting the onslaught he returned to kick Mr Olsen, who had retreated to the driver's seat.

Smith was arrested on September 27 after CCTV images of him were widely circulated in the media.

He admitted hitting Mr Olsen but told police that the bus driver had started the attack despite Smith not suffering any injuries.MagistrateJacqui Milledge told Smith, who comes from a well-known wine-making family in California's Napa Valley, that "it was an attack on a vulnerable person"."Bus drivers are vulnerable and passengers need to behave," she said.

Smith was sentenced to nine months jail but has said he will appeal the sentence.

John Olsen, who has been assaulted 11 times, has since retired.

Source: Nine News

Author: Martin Zavan, Approving editor: Matthew Henry