Bolton: Man who missed unpaid work told to 'grow up'

Lucas Hughes, 25, had last been brought before the court for possession of cannabis with intent to supply last year.

He walked away with a suspended sentence but was brought back before Bolton Crown Court this week after missing work appointments he had been ordered to complete and for not giving a reasonable excuse.

Brian Kennelly KC, prosecuting, said: “He contacted the probation service and said he had overslept, which of course is not an acceptable reason.”

The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Kennelly told that court that Hughes, of Sandown Crescent, had missed his first appointment on October 25 last year, which is when he gave the excuse of having overslept.

He then missed another appointment on January 3, saying he was unwell.

According to Mr Kennelly, Hughes’ compliance had been good apart from the two breaches and he had completed further unpaid work since then.

Emily Potter, defending, told the court that Hughes had previously been working before he was imprisoned for a separate offence.

She said that he had been a landscaper, a job he had enjoyed, and that he hoped one day to return to a similar job.

When it came to missing his appointments, Ms Potter said that Hughes was apologetic but that where the sickness was concerned he ‘for want of a better phrase, had a bug’ which had cleared by before he had the chance to get a doctor's note.

Ms Potter said that Hughes ‘just wants to return to normal life’ once his suspended sentence was finished.

Judge Nicholas Clarke KC accepted that Hughes, who turned 25 that week, was sorry for missing his unpaid work appointments but gave him a stark warning about what would happen if he let this happen again.

Addressing the defendant, he said: “It’s time to grow up, alright?”

He added: “It’s time to stop doing this, you’re a man now and I don’t want to see you in that dock again.”

Judge Clarke ordered Hughes to complete an extra 20 hours of unpaid work.