A BURGLAR who was spared jail after admitting to breaking into a property shortly after attempting to enter another has been given another chance by a judge.

Burnley Crown Court heard 20-year-old Kielam Thomas Barnes had attempted to prise his way into one house but was scared off when the residents inside started making loud noises to make him aware of their presence.

He then went to a neighbouring property’s annex which he was caught ransacking by police.

The court heard both of those offences took place in Wilkie Avenue, Burnley, in the early hours of February 1, last year.

In October, Judge Sara Dodd gave Barnes five weeks to see if he would engage with a community order by Blackpool magistrates after pleading guilty to an unrelated burglary in Burnley.

After being satisfied with his compliance in the intervening period, Judge Dodd made Barnes subject of a 12-month community order, with 20 rehabilitation activity requirement activity days and an eight-week curfew.

Prosecuting, Keith Harrison said Barnes had breached the order by behaving in an unacceptable manner on December 19 and February 12.

Mr Harrison said: “The probation records show poor compliance. He attended four out of nine offered appointments.”

Barnes, of Springfield Road, Burnley, admitted one of the breaches.

Defending, Mark Stuart said his client was suffering a number of difficulties at the time of the offence, which included seeing his benefits slashed from £200-a-month to £15-a-month because of his failure to fill a claim form in correctly. He said this meant Barnes, who has committed no further crimes since the February offences, struggled to get to the Globe centre in Accrington to keep appointments.

Mr Stuart said: “Sooner of later Kielam Barnes is going to face his first custodial sentence. If he fails to comply he is going to go to prison. There are just enough reasons why it doesn’t need to be today."

Adding a further five rehabilitation activity requirement days for the breach, Judge Richard Gioserano said: “Mr Stuart is right. Sooner or later if you don’t complete this order you are going to give a judge no option but to lock you up.

“There are some positives, I have to say. While you’re not making it to all these appointments, you have been out of trouble for some time."