Teenager without driving licence stole bus from depot an drove it 150 miles

Zak Byrd was promised a sum of £1,000 to travel into Powys and steal the bus.

He was offered the money to take the bus from a depot in Garth, near Builth Wells.

The 19-year-old, who was 18 at the time and from Mapleton Avenue, Derby, stole the bus on June 14 last year.

He drove the stolen vehicle the three-and-a-half-hour journey to Nottingham in the early hours of the morning.

He was arrested later that same day when he was spotted driving the bus at a Nottingham garage.

Byrd admitted an offence of aggravated vehicle taking when he appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court on Wednesday last week.

Prosecuting, Mr Kevin Challinor said the police were alerted to the theft when the bus owner Nigel Brown reported the vehicle missing from his depot in Mid Wales.

Mr Challinor explained to the court that the vehicle was traced thanks to it having a marker on it from local police in Mid Wales.

He told the court: “Its movements were traced. It was reported that it had entered Nottingham around 3am. Nottingham Police attempted to locate it.

“Later the same day an officer came across the bus on Grantham Road and stopped it at a garage.”

Mr Challinor added: “It had a stolen marker on it from Dyfed-Powys Police.

“The defendant was on board and was the sole occupant. He was arrested and said he was told to drive the bus there and that he would get some money for doing it.”

Mr Challinor told the court: “He said he knew he should not have done it. He does not have a licence and his mum told him not to.”

The bus was valued between £3,000 and £4,000, the magistrates were told.

There was damage to a wing mirror and bumper and some scratches on the bus after it was stolen, the court was told.

Mitigating to the court on behalf of Byrd, Mr Gareth Walters said: “It is ironic that it is only him before the court as there were two other males in convoy with the vehicle.

“But they were interviewed and denied any part in the offending and blamed it all on the defendant.

“He has not seen or heard from them since, which I would say is a good thing for Mr Byrd.”

Probation officer Joe Long told the court Byrd had been easily influenced by his friends, who told him he would receive £1,000 for taking the bus.

He said Byrd is unemployed and was looking for work, adding that he had previously worked for a bus firm shunting vehicles around a yard.

Magistrates sentenced Byrd to eight weeks in prison for the offence.

They suspended the custodial sentence for 12 months.

He must also complete 25 rehabilitation days and 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £250 compensation for the bus damage.

He was disqualified from driving for one year.