A school bus driver has lost his job after being filmed by pupils using his phone behind the wheel.
Malcolm Paterson was transporting 17 youngsters on the B993 Inverurie to Kemnay road when he began writing a text message on his mobile.
Two of the young passengers spotted him in the act and decided to take a video.
Paterson noticed this was happening and let go of the wheel to put his phone out of sight.
The footage was then passed onto a mother of one of the pupils who gave it to his bosses who then informed the police.
He confessed to the offence, which took place on September 25 this year, at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
Fiscal depute Karen Dow said: “He was filmed texting on the bus for approximately 15 seconds.
“He then took both hands off the steering wheel to get his phone out of sight.”
The court heard he has lost his job as a result of his actions.
Sheriff Ian Anderson this week imposed three penalty points and a fine of £400 on Paterson, of Springfield Crescent in Aberdeen.
Last night the driver was condemned for “abusing the trust” of his position and for actions which could have led to young people being “seriously hurt or killed.”
Liam Kerr, the Scottish Conservatives’ justice spokesman, said parents would be “horrified” to hear this.
He said: “This is a shocking case that should serve as a lesson to anyone else who thinks they can text while driving.
“Parents will have been horrified to hear that the driver of the school bus was behaving in this way.
“Someone could easily have been seriously hurt or killed.
“The driver should have known better and is lucky that this wasn’t far more serious.”
Gillian Owen, the education convener of Aberdeenshire Council, added: “Any drivers using mobile phones whilst driving know the dangers and I am disappointed that a person who was in a position of trust and had a duty of care to the young people on his bus, abused that trust.”
An Aberdeenshire Council spokeswoman was unable to say which school the pupils were from.
She said: “Aberdeenshire Council take the safety of children using school transport very seriously and we expect all of our contractors and their staff, to uphold this safety standard at all times.”
