A TEENAGER who fell asleep on a bus after an all-night drinking session shouted racist abuse at a police officer when he was woken, a court heard.

Dax David Harbottle was found asleep on the top deck of the bus at the Darlington bus depot on the morning of November 18.

Blair Martin, prosecuting, told Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday that attempts were made by the depotmanager and a police officer to rouse the 18-year-old, of Glaisdale Gardens, Shildon.

When he awoke, he started shouting and swearing and directed racist abuse at the officer.

Harbottle pleaded guilty to racially-aggravated harrasment, alarm or distress and Zoe Passfield, mitigating, said his client was very apologetic.

Ms Passfield said Harbottle did not remember the incident and his first recollection was waking up in the police station.

He had been drinking for most of the previous day and into the early hours of that morning and had fallen asleep on the bus home and missed his stop at Shildon.

She said: "He's mortified and embarrassed by his behaviour which brings him before the court."

Magistrates sentenced him to a conditional discharge for eightmonths and ordered him to pay £85 court costs.