'˜Bad back' stopped attacker doing unpaid work in community

Burnley Crown Court was told how Luke Glover had last August been given 12 months in jail, suspended for two years, with 200 hours unpaid work after the violence. He had only done 36 hours of work in the five months afterwards, but had recently been knuckling down.

He was back in the dock on Thursday, where he admitted breaching the suspended sentence. The hearing was told he had now done about 80 hours of the work. He was given 10 extra hours and ordered to pay £75 costs.

Glover, of Paythorne Avenue, Burnley, had earlier admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on Kevin Gamble, last October 4th. He had no previous convictions.

Mark Stuart (defending) told the court he hadn’t done the work as there had been a difficulty with his back. He was in work, but had a cyst on his back. He was now unemployed and, during January, had been going to do his unpaid work three times a week.

Judge Beverley Lunt told the defendant: “It would appear you have now started to grow up and behave like a man and take your punishment on the chin. Is that right?” Glover replied: “Yes.”

The judge continued: “Come back in front of me and I will send you to prison, it will be for the whole lot and it’s 12 months you’re looking at. I would keep that at the forefront of your mind next time you have a bad back.”