A DRUNKEN thug escaped jail after threatening an Arriva bus driver and smashing the front window with a fire extinguisher.

Adam Sheel, 22, of Darlington, boarded the 1B service in Shildon, County Durham, just before midnight on March 23, after a two day drinking binge.

He wanted to get to Darlington but was told the service only went as far as Heighington.

Sheel became argumentative and insisted the bus take him to Darlington.

Joanne Hesse, prosecuting, said: “Sheel was the only passenger and at Heighington the driver asked him to get off.

“He refused and began shouting. The driver tried, but failed, to contact colleagues on his radio.

“He tried to calm Sheel but the defendant threw the bus’s fire extinguisher through a window.

“He then threw the extinguisher at the bus’s entrance doors smashing them.”

Sheel was arrested. He told police he had been drinking and became aggressive when drunk.

He said he could not remember being told the bus did  not go to Darlington.

Mrs Hesse said the driver was now uncertain about driving his bus since the attack in case it happened again.

Sheel, of Grainger Street, pleaded guilty to criminal damage and assault charges. He also admitted to breaching a conditional discharge by carrying out these offences.

Rory Todd, mitigating, said: “He knows this is totally unacceptable and he apologizes. This is not how he behaves when he’s sober. He has alcohol issues.”

Magistrates imposed six jail sentences for the criminal damage and assault suspended for a year.

He will pay the driver £100 compensation and an £80 victim surcharge. Sheel will also do 100 hours of unpaid work.

No separate penalty was imposed for the conditional discharge breach and he will pay no costs.