A MAN who failed to take the chance offered by a judge is behind bars after committing further offences within the time-span of a suspended sentence.

Gareth Johnson Wilson was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 15 months, by a judge at Durham Crown Court, last December.

It followed the deferment of sentence on Wilson, having admitted a break-in at a relation’s home and an offence of theft, dating from June last year.

But he was back before magistrates last month after his arrest following a domestic incident at the home of a recent former partner, in Shildon, County Durham, on July 11.

Twenty-eight-year-old Wilson, of Queen’s Road, Bishop Auckland, admitted common assault, by pushing the woman during the confrontation, and criminal damage, by smashing a kitchen window.

As the offences were committed within the period of the suspended sentence, the magistrates committed him for sentence at the crown court.

Liam O’Brien, for Wilson, told yesterday's (Wednesday August 19) sentencing hearing that his offending since his teenage years has been linked to alcohol misuse, while getting into disputes, “with those closest to him.”

Mr O’Brien added that Wilson has complied with the supervision element of the suspended sentence.

But, imposing a six-month prison sentence, Judge John Milford told Wilson: “When you left this court last December you were told in no uncertain terms that any breaches were likely to result in the activation of the sentence.

“You did keep out of trouble for a number of months, but you have a long-standing problem with alcohol and these offences were all linked to that.”

He ordered Wilson to serve five months of the suspended sentence, with a further month added for last month’s offences.