Watch: Woman passenger attacks bus driver then takes over at the wheel

Violent Belinda Mould, of Hull, screamed at the terrified female driver and attacked her after she changed the bus number.

Having got into the driving seat, the 31-year-old attempted to start the engine before escaping through the window of the driver's cab, Hull Crown Court heard.

Recorder Catherine Otton-Goulder, said it must have been absolutely terrifying for the driver. "Nobody who drives should be subjected to this, let alone a bus driver."

Mould got on the Number 13a bus outside Tesco in north Hull, at 8.30pm on March 4 last year carrying seven shopping bags.

After she boarded, the driver changed the bus number to 14a, which takes a different route to the bus station in Hull centre.

When the bus turned along the 14a route, Mould ran to the front of the vehicle, screaming at the driver she had gone the wrong way. She became abusive and grabbed at the woman's clothing.

The driver, who was punched, scratched and bitten, stopped the bus as Mould grabbed the wheel – which can be seen on CCTV footage.

Mould pulled off the driver's iPod headphones, which she had not been using. The driver left the cab to retrieve them. As she did so, Mould jumped into the driver's seat and tried to start the bus on four occasions – sticking her tongue out at the driver.

Mould then opened the driver's window and escaped.

The driver radioed her managers at Stagecoach who contacted the police and Mould was found hiding in a garden close by. She bit a police officer.

In a victim statement read to the court, the driver said: "As a result of the attack I feel nervous at work."

Mould pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assaulting a constable.

She was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, ordered her to pay the driver 200 compensation and write an apology.

Paul Genney, defending, said: "She would like to apologise to the driver and she is sincere."

Stagecoach operations manager Tony Fieldsend said Mould had caused injury to staff. "We were hoping she would go to prison but all she's ended up with is a suspended sentence."

Mould has six previous convictions for assault, two of which were against police officers.