A TEENAGER who assaulted bus drivers in Dunfermline has been jailed.

Lennon McAlpine tried to spit on three drivers, a bus depot staff member and a police officer during the ordeal.

McAlpine, 19, of Viceroy Street, Kirkcaldy, appeared from custody for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on March 31 last year, at the Stagecoach bus depot, St Leonard's Street, Dunfermline, he assaulted William Kelly, a bus driver there, by attempting to spit on his body.

He also assaulted bus drivers Charles Moore and David Anderson by attempting to spit on them.

He further assaulted Ben Chalmers, an employee at the depot, by again attempting to spit on him.

McAlpine also admitted that on April 1, at Dunfermline police station, he assaulted a female police officer by attempting to spit on her.

Depute fiscal Alistair McDermott explained that McAlpine was with friends when they travelled on a bus from Kirkcaldy to Dunfermline at around 10.10pm. They had been consuming alcohol and left a carrier bag with drink and cigarettes inside.

Bus staff said they could probably retrieve the bag if they went to St Leonard's bus depot so they got on another bus towards there.

Mr McDermott said: "They asked the bus driver if they could retrieve the bag but he was not able to give them a definitive answer.

"The group were not pleased and effectively started mouthing off at the driver.

"The bus was stopped and others voiced their displeasure.

"The accused began coughing up phlegm and in anticipation, the driver shut the door before spit could hit him."

The accused was speaking to Mr Moore when he started summoning up spit and attempted to spit at him before he was told to go home.

Mr Chalmers also told the accused to move along, McAlphine walked in his direction and also attempted to spit at him as well, the court heard.

Police officers attended the scene and arrested the accused. When they were trying to move him from the back of the van, he attempted to spit in the face of a female officer.

A spit defence was then placed on his head.

Defence solicitor Danielle Varela said her client did not remember much about the incident because of the alcohol he had consumed and that the peers he was with were a group of girls which included his girlfriend.

"The girls had left the bag on the bus and decided the best way to retrieve this was at the bus depot," she said.

"The girls were initially questioning the bus driver, kicking off and getting upset. He (McAlpine) was not engaging at that time.

"He wishes he remained in the background but unfortunately for him, he did not and became involved in the worst way.

"In his own words, he was acting the big man.

"He described his behaviour as disgusting when discussing matters with him.

"He realised that his behaviour didn't help anyone."

Sheriff Charles Macnair said: "You spat at a total of five people who were going about their business and employment.

"Assaults of this sort are quite disgusting and will not be tolerated.

"The only appropriate sentence is one of custody."

As McAlphine was still serving the second half of a jail service at the time of the offence, he was returned to the young offenders' institute for 250 days.

He was also given a sentence of 135 days for the new offences.