A COACH driver who transported passengers after taking drugs has been spared immediate prison.

Stuart John Jones, 42, repeatedly “ignored” pleas by some of the 23 people on his west Cumbria-bound bus to stop using his mobile phone as they returned from a birthday trip to Liverpool on November 11, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

Some passengers were worried enough to ask him to pull off the M6.

When the coach continued along the hard shoulder, near Burton in south Cumbria, one passenger pulled on the handbrake to stop the vehicle.

Nobody was hurt but prosecutor Rachael Woods told the court: “Witnesses said they were scared and felt their lives had been placed in danger by this manner of driving.”

Jones was seen to “stagger off” the bus, unsteady on his feet.

After police arrived, Jones produced plastic bags containing class A methylamphetamine, and class C diazepam and lorazepam.

A blood test revealed illegal drug presence.

Ms Woods said: “The Crown’s case is that he was clearly under the influence when he was driving in the manner in which he was seen to drive.”

Jones, of Holywell, North Wales, admitted dangerous driving and possessing the three drugs, had been a “well respected” bus driver.

He’d immediately surrendered his public service vehicle licence after the incident, had lost his job and suffered a “great decline” in his physical and mental health.

Jones ad since been offered non-driving employment and was now receiving help for his issues.Recorder Michael Murray suspended a 12-month jail term for two years, telling Jones he’d come “within a whisker” of being jailed. Jones must complete 200 hours’ unpaid work, rehabilitation and a three-year driving ban. “You took drugs, and because you had taken drugs it made you totally unfit to drive,” Recorder Michael Murray told him.

“You could have killed somebody because of this irresponsibility,” the Recorder told Jones.