Sheffield offender who failed to attend appointments jailed

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard on December 16 how Carl Atkinson, aged 38, of Pye Bank Road, Neepsend, repeatedly failed to attend appointments after he was given a community order in August.

District Judge Paul Healey confirmed Atkinson had also been subject to a previous community order which had been revoked and replaced with a new community order in August after he had failed to comply with the original order.

Atkinson admitted failing to comply with the community order imposed in August by failing to attend appointments in October and November.

The court heard Atkinson had originally been convicted at court in Leeds and been given a community order with a drug treatment requirement but that was revoked and replaced with the current order which he admitted breaching.

Defence solicitor Geoff Flemming said: “He attempts to reassure the court that despite everything that has gone on previously the situation is not one entirely of his own making.”

Mr Flemming added Atkinson claimed there had been difficulties transferring matters to Sheffield probation service from Leeds but the probation service stressed if Atkinson had attended Sheffield appointments this would have been processed.

District Judge Healey told Atkinson the probation service’s resources are limited and their time is better spent working with people willing to work with them.

He sentenced Atkinson to eight weeks in custody in relation to the latest breach of his community order and with regards to a related offence of fraud.