Driver sexually abused 15-year-old girl while driving double-decker bus

A bus driver was observed behind the wheel, with a schoolgirl sitting next to him looking at a mobile phone.

Christopher McIntosh performed sexual acts on the 15-year-old while he drove his route through Fife at night at speeds of up to 80 km/h.

However, he was caught on camera inside the vehicle, showing the couple crammed into the taxi during the two-hour journey.

Dundee Sheriff Court was shown a 16-minute clip showing them talking on the phone while McIntosh drove.

Assistant Fiscal Michael Robertson told the court that the 38-year-old met the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, while travelling on the night train between St Andrews and Glenrothes.

She got into the taxi with him when there were no other passengers on board.

Mr Robertson said: “The prosecution alleged that the defendant drove dangerously because he had a child sitting next to him in the driver’s seat, whom he had his arm around, and he repeatedly looked at his mobile phone while driving.”

McIntosh, from Dundee, admitted engaging in sexual activity with a child on a number of trips between March and April last year and was placed on the sex offenders’ register.

He was originally charged with dangerous driving but was found guilty of the less serious offence of reckless driving.

Sheriff John Rafferty said the quality of the driving was not clear from the video footage. Sentence was suspended pending background reports and McIntosh was released on bail.

The bus driver probably knew the girl’s age because she had initially shown her child’s identity card to receive the free ride.