A MAN who completed only five hours of a 180-hour community-service order has been sentenced to 12 months’ youth custody.
Joao Francisco Neto Rodrigues (22) was returned to the Magistrate’s Court on Monday after breaching community-service and probation orders imposed in December last year.
The orders were made after Rodrigues was convicted of offences including assaults against a woman, witness intimidation and breach of the peace.
Advocate James Bell, defending, asked the court to give Rodrigues, who had worked for a construction company since February, a final opportunity.
However, Assistant Magistrate Adam Clarke said the history of the case, including missed probation sessions and community service appointments, made “very bad reading”.
He told Rodrigues: “The court could at that point have provided an immediate custodial sentence, but the court felt able to avoid custody.”
He added: “There has been a catalogue of failures to attend community service, rarely supported by evidence.
“I am not persuaded that these orders are workable and should remain in place. You have failed to comply with the non-custodial sentence. I am left to re-sentence you.”
Rodrigues received six months’ youth custody for one common assault and a consecutive six months for witness intimidation. No separate penalties were imposed for the other common assault or the breach of the peace.
