A serial offender who was given a chance to turn his life around has been locked up after failing to take advantage of the opportunity.

David Swales was given a suspended sentence in December but after failing to attend a number of sessions with the probation service he found himself back before court.

The 52-year-old was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days after he convicted for theft offences.

Teesside Crown Court heard Christopher Bevan, representing Swales, said: “He is very aware that the likelihood of you (the judge) sending him to prison is immensely high.”

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The counsel told the court that the defendant suffered from ill-health associated with his long-term drug use and had been ‘bullied’ by other people when he attended some of the probation service sessions.

Mr Bevan added: “He was a very heavy drug user and is dependent on methadone. He hasn’t taken drugs for 20 years but has been on methadone throughout that time.

“He said he failed to attend the appointments because he struggled due to the pain in his legs which undoubtedly, he had inflicted on himself through years of drug use and he recognises that.”

Swales, of Coleridge Gardens, Darlington, pleaded guilty to two breaches of his suspended sentence in January and March this year.

Judge Howard Crowson activated some of the suspended sentence and jailed him for 12 months.

“The fact is that the law says that when you breach these orders, I must send you to prison unless there are good reasons for me not to. I’m afraid that there aren’t,” he said.

“The suspended sentence was imposed on you with conditions and those conditions have to be carried out, if you don’t, you are effectively choosing to serve the prison sentence.

“I don’t take the view that the explanation you gave to Mr Bevan provide you with any excuse and the probation service didn’t either.”

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