A man accused of a 'bus baby buggy rage' attack on disabled mum as they travelled on a crowded double-decker burst into tears as he was cleared by a jury today.
Electrician Wayne McCatty, 34, of Stroud Crescent, Putney (pic.bottom) tried to force a buggy carrying a small child into a tiny space and admits punching the mother and her husband in self-defence when a row broke out.
Nova Whiting-Willet, 36,(pic.top) received injuries on the packed number 85 double-decker while travelling with her three year-old daughter and husband Anders, 32(pic.top) in Kingston, South-West London on September 19, last year.
The Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court jury found McCatty not guilty of assaulting Mrs Whiting-Willet, causing her actual bodily harm, and assaulting her husband.
The defendant claimed he was abused and was forced to protect himself when Mrs Whiting-Willet told her husband: "Just hit him."
McCatty admitted he was the man captured on the bus's CCTV when giving himself up to police three months later after a media appeal.
He had boarded the Kingston to Roehampton service with his partner, her seven year-old child and younger child in the buggy at 1.45pm that Sunday afternoon.
Mrs Whiting-Willet admitted lashing out, but insisted it was only after the defendant grabbed her. "It was not hard and it was only once," she told the court.
McCatty told officers he "decked" Mr Whiting-Willet, but this was only after Nova ordered her husband to hit him.
The defendant was not legally aided and was awarded legal costs from central funds.
The jury returned majority verdicts on both counts.
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