A bus driver has been jailed for four years for a string of sexual assaults on young passengers. 

Brighton and Hove Buses driver Mark Spalding, 29, preyed on two foreign students when they were alone on his bus, shutting them in the vehicle then touching them, leaving them fearing they would be kidnapped or raped. 

He also groomed two girls aged 13 and 14 over a period of years, assaulting them on buses and at secluded stops. 

Spalding, of Whitehawk Way, Brighton was this morning jailed to an extended four year jail sentence at Hove Crown Court - meaning he will have to serve an extra five years on licence. 

He had pleaded guilty to eight sexual offences last month. 

At his first appearance at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on November 24, 2016, he entered no plea.

Judge Shani Barnes said she had no doubt he was a risk to children. 

Sentencing Spalding she said: "You have traumatised four young women. You used power and control over two young girls travelling on buses.

"You did it once and got away with it. Then you did it again.

"Everyone should be allowed to travel on buses safely. All parents should be assured that their children travelling on buses won't be traumatised or terrified.

"You enjoyed the attention and systematically groomed them.

"There's no doubt you predatory behaviour and systematic abuse belie your cheeky chappy manner.

"You are high risk to children and at serious risk of committing further offences.

"The harm that would be done to more young women has got to be extremely high indeed."

Brighton and Hove Buses managing director Martin Harris said in a statement: “What happened while Mark Spalding worked for us with our customers is utterly vile.

"We can only offer our humblest apologies to our customers – and especially his victims – who trusted us to provide a bus service on which they could travel in complete safety.

“It was Brighton & Hove Buses that referred Spalding to the police and we’re heartened that today he’s been given a custodial sentence for his disgusting acts.

“Within 15 minutes of us having the evidence we removed him from duty so he was no longer a danger to our customers.

“The safety of our customers is paramount. We carry out criminal record checks on all employees who work regularly with children and vulnerable adults.

“We now have a safeguarding policy for the whole organisation and we’ve put a director in charge of it.

“We’re the only bus company in the country – to our knowledge – that has a Special Constable (the product of a unique partnership with Sussex Police) acting as a key link between the bus company and the police force and who patrols our buses to help ensure the safety and welfare of our customers.

“We also have CCTV on every bus.”

Detective Constable Elaine Welsh, of Sussex Police, said following today's sentencing: “Spalding is clearly a predatory sex offender who took advantage of his access to young women and and vulnerable girls.

“This has had a huge impact on his victims and their families.

“All four were prepared to give evidence in court,until he changed his pleas just before the trial was due to start.

“All of them, and in particular the two younger girls, have shown immense courage and remained committed throughout this distressing case.”