A BUILDER'S labourer was spared immediate imprisonment for missing unpaid work after he produced proof he was unwell for an Isle of Wight judge.

Simon Cant, of Trafalgar Road, Newport, admitted breaching an 18-month suspended sentence order by failing to attend unpaid work sessions on June 5 and 12.

Cant, handed 150 hours' unpaid work under the two-year court order, claimed he was unable to work on health grounds.

He breached the order by failing to provide evidence of illness within the required time limits, said Lucie Taylor, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Crown Court.

However, sick notes were later provided to the court from his GP, coving both dates in question.

Cant was handed the sentence for drugs possession offences and for possessing a prohibited weapon.

For Cant, Oscar Vincent said his client had a glowing report from the probation service on the progress he had made in his battle to become drug free.

Mr Vincent explained his client had depression from grieving for his father and another personal matter, and it had been difficult for Cant to get an appointment with his GP during the pandemic — but submitted copies of his sick notes to probation immediately on receipt of them.

Judge David Melville gave Cant the benefit of the doubt by adding a further 20 hours of unpaid work to his order, rather than send him to jail.

He told Cant his breaches had caused administrative problems and warned him should he break the terms of his order again, he would be imprisoned.