Storm Frank flood bus driver Tudor Davies found guilty of careless driving charge

The bus driver who risked the lives of his passengers has been fined £2000 – but allowed to stay on the road.

Tudor Davies, 49, sparked a major emergency after driving into deep floods.

His actions were described as being at the “high end” of careless driving.

But Ayr Sheriff Mhairi Mactaggart stopped short of giving him a driving ban.

The Stagecoach driver had been on trial for dangerous driving.

But the Sheriff said she was not satisfied his actions were dangerous, and found him guilty of the lesser charge of careless driving.

She said: “I consider it was a significant error of judgement and one taken without consideration for your passengers.”

Instead of banning him she gave him nine penalty points after his lawyer Tony Currie said it had been a “one-off.”

Davies, of Fullerton Place, Patna, now a delivery driver after being sacked, was emotionless as he was sentenced.

He’d been driving the number 58 from Girvan to Ayr and plunged into flood waters near Dailly on December 30.

Last month, Davies told how he believed it safe.

The bus driver, who had driven in the area for Stagecoach for nine years, claimed he’d driven through similar pools of water without problems.

He said: “I’ve a lot of remorse and as a professional driver I take safety of my passengers very seriously.”

Passengers were terrified, with Josephine Smyllie, 67, saying: “I phoned my husband and said ‘Jim. I’m in Dailly and the road’s flooded.

“‘I think we’re going to go into it and drown.'”