A MAN has been spared jail but will be on an electronic curfew, forced to stay indoors between certain times, a judge has decided.

Charlie King, 22, of Prospect Road, Newport, appeared before Judge Paul Garlick yesterday (Monday).

The judge had to decide whether to implement a suspended sentence order, and jail him for breaching it by failing to engage with the probation service.

King was originally sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, suspended for 18 months for an attack at Newport bus station — including a 16-week daily curfew and 100 hours of unpaid work — on March 26.

The operational period was extended by six months and an additional four-month curfew was imposed for flouting the court order on June 18.

Last week, he was before the crown court again, where his barrister Peter Pride said his client had been given a "a very lucky chance", but had done nothing to co-operate with the Probation Service.

King admitted failing, without reasonable excuse, to comply with the unpaid work requirement of the probation order.

"Probation, understandably, washed their hands of him. It seems to me, and with speaking with him, matters weren't fully understood about the problems apparent in his life," said Mr Pride, at the Isle of Wight Crown Court last Wednesday.

He said, however, King had 'significant mental health issues from post traumatic stress disorder' and was a victim of 'very extreme domestic abuse'.

After further contact with the probation service, the court heard more about King's issues.

Judge Garlick said: "I gave you a chance in June and you have let the court down.

"I'm not going to activate the suspended sentence. I'm going to implement the recommendations of the probation officer.

"I will remove the unpaid work requirement as you are not in good mental health to fulfil it."

He told King he must attend 20 rehabilitation sessions and be under a 9pm to 6am curfew for 12 weeks.

He was told a breach would see him sent to prison.