A bus driver stole from a handbag left by a little girl on his vehicle.
The eight-year-old had been enjoying a trip with her grandma when she forgot to retrieve her bag.
The item was handed into lost property at Dewsbury Bus Station by driver Terrence Mellor, but the youngster’s iPod Touch was missing.
CCTV footage showed the 39-year-old stuffing the portable media player and phone up his body warmer as he checked the empty bus.
Yesterday Mellor, of Parkhill Grove in the town, admitted the offence.
He said that he did not know whether his employer would let him keep his driving job.
Vanessa Schofield, prosecuting, said that the offence happened on July 25 when Mellor was operating the service from Ossett.
She told Kirklees magistrates that the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was travelling on the bus with her grandmother and her younger sister.
The family were sitting on the top deck of the bus but when they got off the girl realised that she had forgotten her handbag.
They were unable to stop the bus but were later informed by staff at the station in Dewsbury that it had been handed in there.
Ms Schofield said that the handbag still contained chewing gum and some coins but the £120 iPod had been taken.
She told magistrates: “CCTV showed the bus stopping at Dewsbury and the driver checking the bus.
“He was seen to pick up a child’s handbag and put it into his body warmer.
“He then leaves the bus and the bag was handed into lost property but the iPod was not in it.”
Mellor, who was not represented, told magistrates that he had been experiencing a lot of trouble personally.
He said: “I obviously wasn’t thinking. I can assure you that it won’t happen again.”
Mellor said that he threw the phone away after taking it.
He added that he was still employed by the bus company but his bosses were awaiting the outcome of the case before making a decision on his future.
Magistrates ordered him to pay £120 compensation to the girl.
He also has to pay £165 fine, £85 costs and £20 victim surcharge.
