Sutton man risked jail by breaching court orders

Michael Merritt failed to turn up for probation appointments on November 4 and 11, said prosecutor Donna Fawcett.

Probation officer Sarah Alderton said his compliance with the terms of a community order, imposed on September 11, last year, had been “poor” and custody was requested.

Simon Greaves, mitigating, said Merritt found work as a security guard and had been working constantly in order to pay off rent arrears.

“He asked to be given a chance to undertake unpaid work,” he said.

“He asks the court to consider a suspended sentence that allows him to keep working and keep the roof over his head.”

Merritt, 48, of Swanson Avenue, Huthwaite, admitted breaching the court order, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Course, on Wednesday.

Magistrates found it was a “wilfull and persistent breach of the order”, and they imposed a 28 day prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.