A TEENAGER on a suspended sentence who broke his curfew seven times in two months has escaped jail.

Jamie Ferris repeatedly failed to comply with the order, which meant he had to stay in from 7pm to 7am for three months.

But rather than activate a one-year suspended sentence a judge at Swindon Crown Court ordered the 18-year-old to do 10 hours of community service.

Ferris and a pal were convicted of actual bodily harm earlier this year after they attacked a man using sticks with nails sticking out of them.

They were both sentenced to one-year suspended sentences, ordered to pay compensation, to complete 250 hours of community service and observe a three-month curfew.

However, two weeks later Ferris was absent from home for 18 minutes.

He then breached the curfew three more times when he was away for more than an hour.

He was sent a warning letter but two days later again failed to abide by it before the final absence when he was away for six hours. The curfew has now finished.

Marcus Davey, prosecuting, said that despite failing to keep to the curfew Ferris had done well on the community service.

He said he had completed 77-and-a-half hours, had been working well and not missed an appointment.

Ferris, of Townend Road, Faringdon, admitted being in breach of the order.

Rob Ross, defending, said the reason his client had been out for six hours was because he had been involved in an argument at home.

Imposing the extra hours Recorder Maria Lamb said: "I am sure you are aware that one if the things that could have happened today was that the suspended sentence could have been activated.

"I am not going to do that, you have saved yourself by the good progress you have made on the unpaid work."

Ferris and Aaron Pearson, 20, of West Swindon, had been out drinking. They attacked Jamie Solari using sticks with nails sticking out leaving him with cuts and bruises.

Both admitted actual bodily harm and Ferris also admitted criminal damage to a mirror in the property.