Wasn't it bad enough this man suffered at the hands of an offender without it being relived online? Wouldn't the video just attract the usual voyeurs looking for cheap kicks - literally - on the web?

As Judge Paul Conlon said yesterday as he sentenced the cowardly attacker, James Elphick, "words fail to describe the savagery of the attack".

Indeed, seeing is believing - and while immensely disturbing, the CCTV footage reveals the full brutality that Elphick inflicted on the defenceless Ian Chalmers.

Elphick, who will be out of jail in 12 months, gave the usual sob story in his defence. He had a deprived childhood, an alcohol problem and had lost a son to SIDS.

We don't doubt that this would have an impact on someone's life. But Elphick has had choices to make in life that would have resulted in happier days all around. For him. For the bus driver he attacked. For those around Elphick.

Plenty of people have had tougher lives and not resorted to such appalling, shocking behaviour.

The best we can hope for is that Mr Chalmers' sense of security is restored and Elphick gains a new respect for himself and others.