A CAR crook has been given three months to do 90 hours of unpaid community work or go to prison.

Cameron Miles has repeatedly breached a suspended sentence by failing to turn up for appointments.

He was given the 12-month term with 120 hours of unpaid work in June last year for dangerous driving and other motoring matters.

But Teesside Crown Court has heard that flouted the order in April and June – on the second occasion for criminal damage – and has 90 hours of work still to complete.

Prosecutor Chris Wood told the court that the 24-year-old, from Shildon, County Durham, and last turned up for community work at the end of May.

Out of 72 appointments Miles has been offered, he has attended just 12.

Probation officers wanted the court to put him on a curfew every Saturday for three months to make sure he turned up on a Sunday.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, remarked to defence barrister, Lewis Kerr: "Presumably, he is desperate to go back to prison."

Mr Kerr said Miles has a full-time job which sometimes prevented him from making appointments, and has also suffered bereavements.

"He knows full well if he doesn't complete court orders in this way then prison is likely," he added. "When one looks at his record, for a man of 24 it is poor.

"A deferment would be a test, a final test."

Judge Bourne-Arton deferred the case until until early December, and told Deacon: "If you have not done 90 hours unpaid work, I'm going to lock you up.It's in your hands now."

Deacon, of Albert Street, Shildon, admitted breaching the suspended sentence.