A YOUNG offender who skipped six probation appointments – weeks after breaching another court order by entering a pub in an England shirt before the World Cup quarter-final – has been given “one more chance” to stay out of prison.
Joshua William Cole (20) admitted breaching a 12-month probation order when he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Crown Advocate Peter Connick, prosecuting, said Cole failed to attend appointments or contact the Probation Service on six occasions between May and the end of July.
The order was imposed in March following a series of offences including motoring matters, breach of the peace, larceny, common assault, breaking and entering and malicious damage.
Cole was also fined £500 last month after being found inside Bacchus Bar despite being prohibited from entering licensed premises.
He was standing at the bar wearing an England shirt shortly before the football began and claimed he had entered because his “mouth was dry” and he wanted a glass of water.
The court heard this week that the fine remained unpaid.
Advocate Estelle Burns, defending, said Cole had ADHD and had been unable to access his medication. She said his condition and alcohol consumption had been recurring themes throughout his offending.
Relief Magistrate David Cadin described Cole’s recent offences as a “serious escalation of public-order offending”.
He said: “Before this spate of offending, you hadn’t been before the court.”
Mr Cadin said he faced a “difficult decision” over whether to give Cole another opportunity or decide that “enough is enough” and send him to La Moye.
He added: “Given the number of offences you’ve committed, the severity and the period, if I send you to La Moye, it’s going to be for six months.”
However, the Relief Magistrate said: “I have listened with care to everything your advocate has said and am prepared to give you one more chance.”
Mr Cadin warned that if Cole failed to attend his weekly probation meetings, there would be “no alternative” to custody.
