A judge has “taken a chance” on a serial criminal who spat at a bus driver, among a string of offences.

Kyle Chadbone was handed a suspended jail sentence in January and breached it three weeks later, but walked free from Oxford Crown Court on Monday.

Recorder John Hardy gave the 19-year-old a deferred sentence, meaning he will escape punishment if he stays out of trouble for three months, but warned him, “step a millimetre outside these conditions and ‘bang!’ the bricks come tumbling down on your head”.

Chadbone, who was given an Asbo aged 16 excluding him from Barton, was given the suspended sentence in January after trying to pawn items, including a Second World War medal, taken in a burglary.

Weeks later, while staying at a bail hostel in Reading, he stole all the furniture from his room, including a chest of drawers, and helped another resident do the same.

Prosecutor Toyin Salako said Chadbone had also smashed one of his mother’s windows and spat at a bus driver last year.

She said the defendant was approached by Oxford Bus Company driver Daniel Warren on a 106 service on July 19 and asked to stop smoking.

Chadbone responded aggressively, swearing and shouting “what are you going to do about it?”. He then spat at Mr Warren as he got off the bus.

Chadbone admitted common assault, damaging property, theft, handling stolen goods and breaching a suspended sentence.

Peter Du Feu, defending, said his client was brought up by an “absent father and alcoholic mother” and “by his own admission has effectively been running wild without any family support”.

As Chadbone wept in the dock, Mr Du Feu said the defendant’s father had recently been released from prison, was settling down with a new partner and was keen to help his son.

Mr Du Feu, who said his client had already served the equivalent of a four-month sentence on remand, added: “I’m not going to play the emotional violin but Kyle Chadbone simply hasn’t had a family.”

Recorder Hardy said of the spitting: “It was a nasty and repulsive offence but my maximum sentence in any event (for common assault) would be six months, d iscounted (by a third) for the guilty plea, which would bring him back to the four months he’s already served.”

He added: “This court is conscious that it’s not appropriate to be cynical about protestations of good intention, because some people actually manage it.

“I’m taking a chance on you, young man. You betray me and you will be going behind bars big time.”

Chadbone’s suspended sentence remains in place and he must co-operate with the probation service and keep out of trouble until July 9.