A TAVISTOCK man breached a suspended sentence order, a court heard last week, which was imposed for possessing an imitation firearm and criminal damage,

Robbie Hillborne was originally sentenced to 51 weeks in jail, suspended for 18 months with 18 months supervision by the Probation Service.

But on February 29, he appeared at Plymouth Crown Court to admit missing two appointments — one in December and one in January. Judge Miranda Robertshaw adjourned the case to test his commitment to the order.

Last week Judge Francis Gilbert QC told Hillborne: 'This is a good report. It seems things are going much better now and I shall allow the order to continue.'

He marked the breach by imposing an additional 40 hours of unpaid community work.

He told Hillborne, aged of Draper Terrace, Chapel Street: 'You'll find it good practice for getting a paid job and find out that there are many others more disadvantaged than you.

'You were lucky to get a suspended sentence in the first place for what was a very serious offence.'