A TEENAGER who stole a bus because he missed the last one home could be locked up.

The 17-year-old joked with his friend Peter Drew about taking a bus after getting stranded in Colchester at night.

But the joke got out of hand when the teenager got into an unlocked vehicle by pressing a button, started up the engine by pressing more buttons, and then could not get it to stop.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard the boy, who cannot be named because he is under 18, manoeuvred the First bus out of the depot, in Queen Street, without hitting another one.

But he lost control when turning into the road, and only got a few yards before he crashed into railings near the depot’s entrance, causing £1,300 damage.

The teenager, from Colchester, admitted taking the bus without consent, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

District judge David Cooper said he would probably get locked up for the stunt.

He said: “You were in Queen Street with all these people spilling out from the nightclubs.

“How easy would it have been to mow down somebody? I think you should go inside for this.

“It’s very grave what you did – it looked like a prank, but you so easily could have killed somebody.”

Robert Newbould, mitigating, said: “He was quite surprised how easy the buses were to get into.

“He was able to navigate his way out of the depot, but he then misjudged the turning.”

The youth was given a night-time curfew and was electronically tagged until he is sentenced on March 10.

Drew, 18, was involved as the “non-paying passenger” on December 7.

Drew admitted aggravated vehicle taking by allowing himself to be carried on the bus.

Drew will be electronically tagged for three months in order that he obeys a curfew.

Lucy Osborn, mitigating for Drew, said: “He’s deeply sorry for this incident.”

Probation workers said Drew, of Hazell Avenue, Colchester, seemed like a very sensible man who had made a mistake.