A YOB who was jailed for terrorising a neighbourhood bus service has had his appeal against his sentence laughed out of court.

Mindless vandal Kevin Iain Scott, 22, appeared at York Crown Court to challenge a two-month jail sentence he is serving for hurling a metal tool through the windscreen of a First bus.

Scott, who has committed 20 offences since 1998, was also appealing against a lifetime criminal antisocial behaviour order (CRASBO) that could see him sent to jail for any further criminal damage.

But Recorder Keith Miller warned Scott that he had been dealt with "leniently", because he had been sentenced to three months behind bars for an "identical" attack four years previously.

He said: "I should add that I think this was an appalling incident and you could well have been facing a much more serious charge indeed. With this record it is just appalling."

Scott was the first person in York to be made subject to a CRASBO as part of a drive to stamp out violence against drivers and buses.

North Yorkshire Police and First have since launched the Bus STOP Bullies campaign, which pledges to ban hooligans from all First UK services and give drivers special police training.

PC Claire Hudson, who is leading the initiative, said: "It shows that if you commit crimes against drivers and buses you will be caught and dealt with severely. We will not tolerate this any longer."

Peter Edwards, commercial manager for First, said the judge's decision recognised the principle that people should be able to do their jobs without being intimidated.

He said: "We think it's great news for us. We're always pleased when we can get the support from the courts."

Nicholas Ralph, prosecuting, said a resident saw Scott throw an object at the bus window as it pulled into a Chapelfields bus stop near a gang of youths last May.

He also detailed Scott's shocking criminal history, which included offences for assaulting a bus driver, damaging a police van and smashing vehicles near a bus stop.

Scott, formerly of Kempton Close, Acomb, has also been dealt with in the courts for public order, three separate affrays and two occasions of being drunk and disorderly.

Services to the Chapelfields estate were resumed two weeks ago after they were rerouted for several weeks following a string of attacks on First buses.

Updated: 09:09 Saturday, August 07, 2004