A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a man who failed to appear at court for breaching a community order.

Ricky Burdess was due to attend Durham Crown Court on Thursday (September 8) over alleged breaches to an order imposed after a conviction in June.

The 32-year-old defendant, of Pentland Close, Peterlee, received the 24-month order, to include 150-hours’ unpaid work and 35 probation-overseen rehabilitation activity days, for offences of assaulting an emergency worker and child neglect.

Read more: Durham drug user breached court order by touting door-to-door for work

But when he did not appear for today's scheduled breach hearing, Judge Jo Kidd told the court: “I have received correspondence from the former solicitors who say, despite attempts to contact him in a variety of ways, he has not responded.”

She, therefore, issued a bench warrant, not backed with bail.

Judge Kidd said should the warrant be activated the defendant should be brought only before the crown court.

Read next:

County Durham grandson behind bars after breach of restraining order

County Durham sex offender guilty of 'persistent' court order breaches

County Durham woman victim of restraining order breaches

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