A DRUNKEN yob who stole a bus and caused £250,000 of damage as he drove it on a 30-mile rampage told stunned cops "it was a nice little ride".
Joyrider Shane Oldroyd, 27, could not afford the bus fare home — so he nicked the empty single decker from a bus station.
Then in an hour of mayhem he smashed it into more than 50 cars, injured two people, and demolished road signs and walls as he careered through THREE towns ... followed by TEN police cars and a force helicopter.
He even carried on driving for nearly three miles on the rims of the bus wheels after police closed a motorway and blew out the single deckers tyres with a "stinger."
Oldroyd — who had pal Sarah Smith, 20, with him on board — was told today he would serve at least three and a half years in jail for the demolition derby on a sunny Sunday afternoon last August.
Judge Kerry Macgill told Oldroyd — who was three times the drink drive limit — it was some of the most dangerous driving he had ever seen
Prosecutor Simon Haring told Leeds Crown Court how Oldroyd — who drinks up to 12 cans of Special Brew a day — had originally hidden behind the seats on the bus with Smith.
But then with no driver on board he hopped into the cab of the Arriva single decker at the bus station in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and pushed the starter.
Mr Haring said: "He couldn't afford to get the bus home and was intending to use a dodgy ticket. But when he realised he could start the bus, he decided that is what he would do to drive himself home."
Jailed ... dangerous Shane Oldroyd
Oldroyd even stopped the bus at one stage and asked another female friend if she wanted to get on too — but she declined.
Then he started smashing into parked cars, road signs, walls and even a shop as he drove through Wakefield, Batley and Dewsbury. At one point he collided with a police car.
Cops received dozens of frantic 999 calls and patrol cars raced to the scene — with some even clearing the path in front of the stolen bus as it drove on the wrong side of the road.
The court was shown CCTV footage from a West Yorkshire police helicopter.
Police officers could be heard gasping as the bus smashed into a red Mercedes, giving the shocked driver whiplash and forcing him off the road. Another driver also suffered whiplash when he was hit.
One cop could be heard in the video saying: "I don't think it's going to be long before someone gets hurt."
Cops even considered using a fleet of lorries to block the road in a desperate bid to stop the bus — which went through red lights without stopping, and even knocked one set down.
Police shut the M1 motorway and blew out the tyres with a stinger across the slip road.
But Oldroyd just carried on driving on the metal wheel rims — followed by a fleet of cop cars.
Finally it swerved across all three lanes of the M1, before smashing into the central crash barrier and Oldroyd was Tasered.
Mr Haring said the bus had been fully fuelled and could have been driven until midnight if it had not eventually crashed into the barrier.
Olroyd told cops: "So what, I took the bus for a nice little ride."
The joyride caused £40,000 worth of damage to the bus alone.
Oldroyd, of Wakefield, admitted aggravated vehicle taking of the Arriva bus and damaging a Mercedes being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
He also pleaded guilty to driving without a bus licence, having no insurance, drink-driving and failing to stop after an accident.
He also admitted unrelated charges of assault, affray and possession of a knife on May 2.
Sentencing Oldroyd to an indeterminate sentence for public protection, Judge Kerry Macgill said he would be behind bars for at least three-and-a-half years.
He told Oldroyd that his driving "makes my blood run cold".
He added: "This bus was driven for 30 miles when you were three times over the limit.
"I have rarely seen such a dangerous piece of driving. You drove on the wrong side of the road, you smashed into cars and premises. There is a very real risk of serious harm to the public if you were at liberty in the near future."
The court heard how Oldroyd had a drink and drugs problem and could drink a litre of whisky in one session.
Defence lawyer Robert Frieze said Oldroyd had acted impulsively.
He said: "It's a very bad piece of driving. The best thing that can be said about it was that nobody was seriously injured. That of course was lucky."
Smith, also of Wakefield, admitted aggravated vehicle and will be sentenced at a later date.
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