PRISON awaits teenager Gary Gunning, who has been found guilty of robbing a £1.20 bus fare from a man standing at a town centre stop.

A jury at Swindon Crown Court took just under two hours yesterday to find that 18-year-old Gunning, of Keynsham Walk, Park South, robbed John Kane of the cash on a Thursday night in March.

And after returning the verdict the jury was told Gunning had previously pleaded guilty to intimidating a witness before the trial.

Remanding him in custody for a pre-sentence report to be compiled the recorder, Mr Christopher Clark QC, told him: "Custody is almost inevitable. The question will be how long."

The court heard that Gunning walked up to Mr Kane and demanded the cash from him as he stood at the Princes Street bus stop, near the Euclid Street junction.

Mr Kane said Gunning was acting aggressively, saying that his brother Jamie had committed suicide and he was looking for people who went to Jamie's school so he could beat them up.

Mr Kane said that, as he was scared, he handed over his £1.20 bus fare to Gunning.

Prosecuting, Sam Butterfield said that before the trial Gunning admitted visiting Mr Kane's home and speaking to his father saying that he would like to speak to the witness and that he was going to "rip his head off".

He said that in 1998 Gunning had a 12 months conditional discharge for damaging property, and was bound over to keep the peace.

He added that in February last year Gunning was convicted for being drunk and disorderly.

Defending, Penny Wilson said: "It is beginning to occur to him that he has a problem with alcohol.

"The first offence was when he was 11 years old, damaging a car, and he was drunk at the time. The offence in February of last year for being drunk and disorderly speaks for itself."

Miss Wilson said that Gunning originated from Barking, but came home from school at the age of 13 to be given five minutes' notice by his mother that they were leaving his father.

The subsequent move to Swindon followed an allegation that his father was putting sleeping pills into Gunning's food, Miss Wilson said, and conducting an affair.

Sher added that Gunning had always worked and his problem with alcohol could be attributed to stress over the last few years.

The judge said Gunning will be sentenced on a date to be fixed, around mid-September.