A TEENAGER who started violence on a bus which ended with a disabled man being stabbed 12 times has been sentenced to three years' detention.

Kevin Fergie and Daniel Hinton became rowdy on the journey between Redditch and Matchborough and were asked by victim Mark McCusker to quieten down.

Fergie kicked Mr McCusker in the back and stamped on him, said Makham Shoker, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court.

Hinton then produced a knife and stabbed Mr McCusker, who suffered from a muscle wasting disease.

His life was saved due to passengers who helped him. The bus driver drove his vehicle straight to hospital.

Judge Michael Mott told 19-year-old Fergie, of Drayton Close, Matchborough, his first assault had started the horrific incident on February 19 last year.

Such drunken behaviour was prevalent on buses at night and Redditch had suffered particularly for some time, he added.

Fergie pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr McCusker and causing him actual bodily harm.

Hinton, aged 20, of Felton Close, Matchborough, had pleaded guilty to causing the victim and a shop worker grievous bodily harm when he appeared before the court in December. He was given 15 years' detention, which was reduced to 10 on appeal.

Mr McCusker suffered two punctured lungs, internal injuries and back wounds in the attack.

Fergie was arrested six months after the bus attack. He had 67 previous offences, many for violence.

Samantha Powis, defending, admitted that it was a despicable, unprovoked attack.

But Fergie was so drunk he did not notice that Mr McCusker was disabled.

Fergie's behaviour had deteriorated since his mother's premature death, she added.

Miss Powis said he wanted to apologise to the victim and insisted he had no knowledge that Hinton was carrying a knife.