A JUDGE who jailed a former soldier for breaching a suspended sentence order for the third time told him he should have known how to follow orders.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Liam Lowe had completed just 26 of the 150 unpaid work hours he was given as part of the six-month suspended sentence he received in March for dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and drug-driving.

But the court heard how Lowe, 20, formerly of Grange Street, Accrington, had breached the order three times in eight months.

Prosecuting, Tom Longstaff said the latest of those breaches came between November 4 and November 11 when he failed to turn up for his unpaid work at a charity shop.

He then failed to provide his probation officer with a medical reason for not doing so, which was part of the terms of the suspended sentence order.

The prosecutor said that following the breach a court summons was sent to Lowe’s house but he failed to attend court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Mr Longstaff said: “The Crown say the defendant has no desire to co-operate with the terms of the suspended order or to attend court hearing voluntarily. It is for those reasons the Crown seek activation of the suspended sentence in full.”

Lowe pleaded guilty to breaching a suspended sentence order.

Defending, Philip Holden said his client, who served in the British army for two years before being released on medical grounds, had put himself in a difficult position.

Mr Holden said: “The defendant suffers anxiety and struggled in the setting of the charity shop where he was required to do the unpaid work.”

“He finds socialising difficult. He doesn’t go out much. “

“Unfortunately the court summons was sent to his previous address.”

Recorder Stephen Bedford activated six weeks of the suspended sentence order.

Recorder Bedford said: “As someone who had been in the army for two-and-a-half years you knew what orders were, but you paid scant regard to them. You have treated this whole process with a degree of contempt.”