Man who took Nottingham bus and crashed into car jailed

A man who took a bus through a busy city centre, ran a red light, smashed into a stationary car and dumped it 10 miles (16km) away has been jailed.

Police said Joshua Redfern, 25, climbed inside the cab of an empty TrentBarton bus in Peveril Drive, Nottingham, on 4 August while the driver was on a break.

After driving it recklessly through the city centre, he dumped it in Borrowash, near Derby.

At Nottingham Crown Court he was given a 12-month sentence.

Nottinghamshire Police said Redfern, of Bethulie Road, Cavendish, Derby, took the bus at about 20:00 BST and went through a red light in Castle Boulevard before hitting a stationary car, writing it off.

He was arrested at home after the force issued a photo appeal.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, failing to stop after an accident, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Redfern was serving a suspended jail term at the time of the offences, Nottinghamshire Police said

Redfern was told the sentence reflected the fact he committed the offences while on a suspended prison sentence for drug-related offences.

He had been jailed for 16 weeks, suspended for 12 months, in December for possession of Class A and Class B drugs, as well as being concerned in the supply of Class B drugs.

PC Matt Fisher said: "Redfern's actions that evening were mindless, reckless and dangerous.

"He climbed inside a bus and set off into busy city traffic - presumably with no thought of the harm he could potentially cause to other road users.

"Thankfully no one was seriously injured but that is no thanks to Redfern. He wrote off one car after colliding with it and could have harmed anyone else who he came into contact with."