Yob traced by DNA in spit

A yob who spat at a Black Country bus driver and smashed a window was tracked down after his DNA was discovered in saliva.

Darren Bernard Wall, aged 25, yesterday admitted smashing a glass screen in the door of the 370 National Express West Midlands bus service, between Walsall and Bloxwich. Walsall Magistrates Court heard how police used DNA sampling to track down the culprit after he left saliva on the driver's cab partition during the outburst on April 9 last year.

Mr Peter Smedley, prosecuting, told the court Wall, of Manor Road Precinct, was involved in an argument with the driver when the bus was in Central Drive, Dudley Fields, calling him "bald and fat".

"During the course of that dispute he unpleasantly spat at the driver and the saliva landed on the partition glass which is how he was found, by his DNA," Mr Smedley said.

"As he got off the bus he punched the glass in the door causing it to smash."

Wall was arrested on February 24 this year at his girlfriend's address.

The case was adjourned until March 17 after Mr Nigel Ford, defending, told the court he was unhappy with the estimated £800 repair bill for the glass and Wall was given unconditional bail.

Vinny Bolina, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said it was one of the first prosecutions of its kind in the region.

"It is sending out the message to individuals that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour and we have the means to track you down and bring you before the courts where you will be dealt with robustly," he said.

"This is certainly one of the first convictions of this kind in the region and probably the first in Walsall."

Bus and train drivers in some parts of the country, including Birmingham, have even been given 'spit kits' with a swab to collect saliva or other substances and a packet to put it in and seal before handing in to police.