AN offender who put his sick mother before a court order has been spared jail on "compassionate grounds".

Burnley Crown Court heard how Leon Rye, 31, had been earlier given a 12-month community rehabilitation order after a rumpus at his former girlfriend's house but felt his cancer stricken mother was more important.

Rye appeared for breach of the order, which had included the Think First programme, and Judge Raymond Bennett said he would delete the Think First part of the sentence on "compassionate grounds."

The judge said he was sympathetic to the defendant's mother's plight and hoped she would soon get better.

He added he realised the Think First requirement would have taken Rye away from his mother for a day at a time when she needed him at home. The defendant had not been in any further trouble.

Judge Bennett warned Rye, of Oak Street, Colne, he would go to prison if he did not do the community rehabilitation order itself.

Robert Crawford, prosecuting for the Probation Office, said that in June 2000 Rye went round to his former girlfriend's house, where she was with her boyfriend, and tried to get in the premises.

She heard banging at the back door, her boyfriend rang the police and there was an altercation between him and Rye.

The defendant tried to force open the door; the glass broke and he then picked up a slither of glass, pulled it across his throat and said: "Your throat is slit. Your throat is slit." Five minutes later officers turned up and arrested him.

Nick Kennedy, defending, said Rye's mother depended almost totally on him and he acknowledged she had been his first priority. He had not offended since June 2000 and, two years down the line, the problems which stemmed from his relationship with his former girlfriend had been sorted out.