A CROOKED bus driver made fake tickets on his computer and sold them to passengers so he could craftily pocket the fares.
But he was foiled when another driver later spotted that a passenger's ticket was forged and raised the alarm, Grimsby magistrates heard.
Aidan Barratt, 23, of Wellington Street, Grimsby, admitted two offences of issuing fake bus tickets on September 3 and another of making counterfeit tickets on September 7.
Rebecca Dolby, prosecuting, said Barratt was working at the time as a bus driver for the Stagecoach company in Grimsby.
He sold a fake ticket to a customer for £9.30 but took it from the cash tray area, instead of using the ticket machine.
Another driver later checked it and noticed discrepancies in the details.
Barratt was identified as the driver who had issued the false ticket and checks revealed that he had also sold another fake ticket for £9.30.
His home was searched and it was found that a laptop and scanner had been used to make forged tickets. Barratt was suspended from his job.
Probation services officer Rachel Austwick told the court that Barratt had worked as a bus driver for Stagecoach since April last year but, before that, had also worked as a bus driver in Plymouth.
Barratt claimed that he had been in a pub when he overheard a man discussing counterfeit tickets. He approached the man because he was "curious" but claimed that it was a pure coincidence that he worked for Stagecoach and that he never told the man where he worked.
Barratt claimed that the man offered him a memory stick, which he copied on to his own computer, said Miss Austwick.
He took customers' money when they got on his bus, gave them fake tickets and kept the money for himself.
He had lost his job and was now unemployed. He had debts of about £7,000 from an overdraft and two credit cards but had not made any payments since 2011, said Miss Austwick.
Lindsay Studd, mitigating, said it was a serious breach of trust but the fraud went on for only a short period of time and involved a small amount of money.
Barratt claimed he had already decided at the time he was caught that he would not continue with what he was doing.
"It is going to have a devastating effect on him," said Mr Studd.
"His prospects of obtaining employment are poor. It is a terrible situation he has placed himself in at such a young age." Barratt was given 200 hours' unpaid work and was ordered to pay £18.60 compensation, £40 costs and a Government-imposed £60 victims' surcharge.
Presiding magistrate Audrey Lambert told Barratt: "It wasn't a spur of the moment thing – it was planned.
"There was a certain amount of premeditation. You had the equipment and the means to manufacture these tickets."
After the hearing, Dave Skepper, commercial director for Stagecoach East Midlands, said: "Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes expects all of its staff to uphold high standards of professionalism and integrity. Mr Barratt is no longer employed by the company."
