Man asked to be sent back to prison so he could 'clear his head'

Blackburn magistrates heard Mark Tomlinson had failed to co-operate with the probation service after being made subject to a community order for shoplifting and had no intention to engage with them.

Tomlinson, of Kime Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with requirements of a community order. The magistrates said he had shown total disregard for the order and jailed him for six weeks.

Nick Dearing, defending, said his client's life had been on a downward spiral over the last eight months. A relationship ended and he had lapsed back into drug abuse.

"His words to me this morning are that he needs to escape from the reality of his day to day existence," said Mr Dearing. "He needs to clear his mind, get himself back on track and rejoin the community in a better place. He invites you to revoke the order and give him a period of custody commensurate with the original offences."