A Norwich bus passenger convicted of assaulting a bus driver has been jailed after he breached a restraining order by using a social networking site.

A Norwich bus passenger convicted of assaulting a bus driver has been jailed after he breached a restraining order by using a social networking site.

Noel Tamsett, 51, of Gentry Place, Marlpit, appeared at Norwich Magistrates Court yesterday where he admitted the breach.

Oliver Haswell, prosecuting, told the court Tamsett had been convicted at the end of last year of assaulting bus driver Tom Ballard and that the court had issued a restraining order which banned Tamsett from contacting Mr Ballard or talking about him on Facebook or any other electronic medium.

Tamsett had appealed the conviction, but at a hearing at Norwich Crown Court on Friday his appeal was dismissed.

Mr Haswell said Mr Ballard had seen that Tamsett had posted a message referring to Mr Ballard and the appeal on Facebook, and that this was the second time Tamsett had been in court for breaching the restraining order.

Debbie Reynolds, mitigating, said Tamsett had not tried to make any direct contact with Mr Ballard.

District Judge Philip Browning revoked the community order for the original offence and yesterday sentenced Tamsett to two six-week prison sentences to run concurrently.

After yesterday's court hearing, Mr Ballard, who has 26 years experience working in the transport industry, said he was pleased with the result.

'You do not go to work to get into a fight and I did not deserve what happened,' he said.

'This has been going on for a year now and I just want it all to end.'

As previously reported, Tamsett had become aggressive after boarding the number 19 bus in Larkman Lane, Norwich, because a previous service had not turned up on Saturday, July 31.

Tamsett had grappled with Mr Ballard, kicked him in the groin and ripped his shirt in Norwich city centre.

Mr Ballard, who suffered a cut to his face, scratches to his chest, and had his spectacles smashed, had restrained Tamsett by pinning him against a wall after coming under attack in Bank Plain.

Tamsett had denied assaulting Mr Ballard. Tamsett had posted a video on the internet of him grappling with Mr Ballard which he was ordered to take down when he was sentenced for the assault.