A drunk man crashed a bus just metres from depot where stole it - all while his ex-partner was on board. Nicky Kane released the handbrake and drove out of a Birmingham National Express depot while three times over the drink-drive limit.
Kane crashed the bus into a street sign directly opposite the depot. He then got out and went directly to an off licence to buy a box of beer, BirminghamLive reports.
His former partner, who had been on the bus, was forced to leap for her safety during the frightening incident. Holly Louise-Kilby, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said: "On August 1 2021, and it was seen on CCTV, the defendant attended the National Express depot in Yardley Wood, at approximately 10.55am he climbed on to a bus that had been parked up.
"He released the handbrake and drove out of the depot. There was a female on the platform of the bus and she was forced to move, to take evasive action as he drove off.
"Kane crashed into a street sign directly opposite the bus depot. The defendant got out of the vehicle and went directly to an off licence to buy a box of beer." Miss Louise-Kilby said the defendant, who had no driving licence, was breath tested and gave two readings.
One was 113 microgames of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath and the other was 106, with the limit being 35. She said in November and December 2021 and January last year Kane had attacked his former partner.
On the first occasion when police attended their home she was found to have stab wounds to her leg and face and on the second he used a lighter and aerosol can to set light to her hair and face. During the final assault he smashed a ceramic plate over her head, the court was told.
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Kane, 49, of Mill Side, Hall Green, who had previously admitted aggravated vehicle taking, driving with excess alcohol and three charges of assault, was jailed for two years and ten months. In passing sentence Recorder Louise MacLynn KC said: "Your former partner was sitting on the bus. It is fortunate no one was seriously hurt although they could have been."
Geraldine Toal, defending, said there were sad areas of Kane's life and that he had been alcohol dependent since the age of 15. She said: "He is not in good shape at all.
"It is of note that the lady referred to on the bus was none other than his partner. She was one of the passengers."
