Drunken bus driver asks to continue school run

CANBERRA, Nov 22 (Reuters) A bus driver who was 13 times over the legal alcohol limit while driving a bus load of schoolchildren had a simple request for police who arrested him for drunken driving, an Australian court heard today.

''Can I finish my run, at least to drop these kids off?'' A country court in New South Wales state was told 50-year old David Stack had a blood alcohol level of 0.26, which is 13 times the legal limit for a bus driver, when he was stopped on November 7.

The court was told two adult passengers had alerted police after Stack's bus was speeding and swerving across the road.

Stack, who pleaded guilty to the drink-driving charge, said he regretted his actions and had apologised to the children at the time.

Now unemployed, Stack will be sentenced in February.

REUTERS LL BS1536