A MAN who boarded an empty bus and stole cash from the coin machine ran off when he was challenged by the driver who was having a smoke.

Blackburn magistrates heard the offence put Scott Walsh, 49, in breach of a recently-imposed suspended prison sentence.

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They decided not to activate the sentence after hearing Walsh had sole care of two children. But the chairman told him he could count himself extremely lucky.

“You nearly went to prison this morning but you certainly won’t be able to use this excuse again,” he said.

Walsh, of Swan Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to theft of £25 belonging to Transdev. He was made subject to a drug rehabilitation requirement for 15 months and ordered to pay £25 compensation.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the driver had pulled into Blackburn bus station and stepped off the bus to have a cigarette.

He looked back to see Walsh on the vehicle reaching into the driver’s compartment and emptying the coin machine. He confronted Walsh and took hold of him but he struggled free and ran off.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said Walsh had come to Blackburn to keep an appointment under a drug treatment and testing order he was already subject to. The test had been negative as had all his recent samples.“He expected to see his probation officer who would normally have provided him with some bus tokens to get home,” said Mr Taylor.

“He was due to pick the two young boys up from school and he had no money to get back to Darwen.He was panicking and then saw the bus door open.”