A FATHER-OF-TWO has had his rehabilitation order extended for attacking a man with a knife.

Burnley Crown Court heard Daniel Howard Rawsthorne, 31, of Rothwell Avenue, Accrington had breached the order given for his attack on Steven Kershaw in Barnes Avenue, Rawtenstall in November.

Rawsthorne was given a nine month sentence suspended for two years in February after pleading guilty to ABH and possessing a bladed weapon at an earlier hearing.

He was also given a community order which requires him to undergo 25 days of rehabilitation work.

However he breached the order after failing to attend two meetings on February 21st and 27th.

Judge Simon Medland QC decided to extended Rawsthorne's 25 days of rehabilitation work to 26, but warned he must be careful and attended all his required meetings.

He said: "I have to make the order more onerous

"If you don't comply there will come to a point you will just get sent to prison."

The court heard Rawsthorne had been suffering with mental health problems and he had missed the meetings due to problems with his medication causing him to have sleeping issues.

Judge Simon Medland QC said Rawsthorne was 'obviously very bright' and had 'good jobs' in computing in the past and obtained 12 GCSEs.

Rawsthorne, who was representing himself, said he wanted to get his mental health problems before going back to study his A-levels.

He said he wants to start up his own building and 'leave a legacy for his son's'.

Judge Medland had considered giving Rawsthorne a fine, but said it would not be productive give the defendant was on universal credit and supporting children.