Man spared jail again but ‘running out of chances’
22-YEAR-OLD ON THIN ICE AFTER BREACHING HIS COMMUNITY ORDER THREE TIMES SINCE 2019
A HULL man has been back in court after ruining another chance given to him by a judge.
In April 2019, Billy Fairburn was given a two-year community order, a three-month curfew and was told to attend a Thinking Skills programme and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days after he threatened to wrap a bike chain around a man’s neck.
Fairburn, 22, of Stroud Crescent West, was high on Spice at the time and was traced to a phone box in Calvert Lane, where he was found with a knife in his pocket.
He had been making threatening calls to the police about a man he alleged had stolen his motorbike.
In the calls, he threatened to attack the man with the motorbike chain and said he would use the knife both on the man and himself.
He was sentenced by Recorder Cook who said at the time: “This is a very unusual case - on a persistent basis you called the police and said you wanted to commit serious injury to a man.”
Despite Fairburn already having seven previous convictions for crimes including possession of a bladed article, Fairburn was spared jail.
Recorder Cook told him: “I’m prepared to give you a chance because of your circumstances, but if you breach any of the requirements I have set court.”
The judge remained good on his promises, as Fairburn was back in the dock on Monday, October 5, after failing to turn up for unpaid work.
When he appeared in court on Monday, Fairburn was already on his third breach of the community order he was given in 2019.
Mitigating, Julia Baggs told Hull Crown Court: “He said he missed his unpaid work as he was trying to get a solicitor sorted and had a meeting with a lady from housing to sort out accommodation for him.
“He prioritised these things and did not call his manager, however he has been complying a little more than is suggested. out, you will be back in
“He says he has attended three course appointments in September for CV building. He called a new offender manager last week and she said for them to have a fresh start and he has an unpaid work appointment for Tuesday of this week at 10am which he has confirmed his commitment to.”
Sentencing Fairburn, Recorder Gavin Doig told Fairburn he was “running out of chances”.
The judge told Fairburn he should be going to custody, but it is his upcoming saved him.
He said: “The probation service are going to keep investing in you and so am I.
“You have an appointment tomorrow, so I will let you go to it and if you don’t go and you are here on Thursday then it is clear you have no intention of complying with this order and you will go to prison.
“If you do go to your appointment, then you will avoid that.” unpaid work that has