The driver of a school bus who sent a clip of a Russian soldier being beheaded to a 12-year-old girl?s mobile phone was told yesterday that he faces a jail sentence.

John Stoneman, 39, admitted sending the girl the 30-second video clip as he drove her to school. Although the girl did not say anything at the time, the message came to light when she lost her phone and it was found by a teacher, who called the police. Magistrates in Yeovil were told that the girl was distressed by the video, which is believed to have been made by rebels in Chechnya.

Stoneman was arrested after the message was traced to his phone. He admitted communicating a video message that contained material of an ?indecent or grossly offensive nature?. South Somerset magistrates were told that Stoneman sent the message as he took the girl to school in the village of Bower Hinton, near Yeovil. He will be sentenced later.