MAGISTRATES accused a prolific offender of showing a flagrant disregard for court orders as they jailed him for 16 weeks for failing to turn up for unpaid work.

Adrian Raper was given a 12-month community order with 40 hours of unpaid work in June this year for stealing copper piping, possessing a bladed article and possessing the Class B drug amphetamine.

The 27-year-old, of no fixed abode, appeared in the dock at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court today (Wednesday, September 17) where he admitted failing to surrender and failing to comply with a community order.

The court heard he had not attended any supervision meetings with the Probation Service, despite an officer visiting his house, and had not completed any unpaid work since the hearing.

In mitigation, Michael Clarke said his client had been working as a window cleaner when he was sentenced and had not had stable accommodation since June.

He said he had been sleeping on the sofa of a property in Darlington which he thought was empty.

Magistrates revoked the original sentence and jailed Raper for 16 weeks.

Chairwoman of the bench Esme Mason said: “The reason for that is your flagrant disregard for court orders and your previous history for similar offending.”