A man who hauled a bus driver from his cab and attacked him because he did not have a valid ticket has been jailed for 17 months.

Luther Taiwo-Blake, of Sylvan Hill, Upper Norwood, attacked the driver in the 468 bus in Croydon June 2.

The 19-tear-old boarded the bus on Brighton Road without a valid ticket at about 7pm. He became agressive and pulled the driver out of his cab before repeatedly punching and kicking him and then fleeing.

The driver was taken to hospital and had to have stitches to a cut above his eye.

Taiwo-Blake pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm (ABH) and affray on 1 October 2010 at Croydon Magistrates' Court after being caught on CCTV. He was eventually sentenced on Thursday February 24 after the court issued a warrant because he had failed to appear at three previous sentencing dates.

Joe Royle, safer transport command chief superintendent said: "This was an unprovoked attack on a bus driver who was doing his job and is totally unacceptable.

"The length of the sentence reflects the seriousness of the incident and we will continue to work together with TfL and bus companies to catch, arrest and prosecute, those who commit acts of violence against staff on London's bus network."