CHARGED with directing homophobic abuse towards his female neighbours a homeless man with “14 pages of previous convictions” missed his day in court to put his side across because his tent had become flooded.

But Robert Boston-Thomas was convicted in his absence of the two offences of using abusive language towards the two women between July 23 and July 31 of last year when his case was heard at Chippenham Magistrates’ Court in his absence.

Magistrates issued a warrant for the 46-year-old’s arrest after he failed to attend his trial and he was brought before the bench in custody on Monday morning at Swindon Magistrates’ Court. There he pleaded guilty to failing to attend the trial.

The court heard from crown prosecutor Michelle Hewitt that Boston-Thomas had been living in a property near the two women and they had got to know each other, but during the week in July of last year he had been verbally abusive towards them and made homophobic remarks towards them.

Boston-Thomas had denied the allegations when he came before magistrates in December, which led to the trial being held on May 11 in Chippenham -which he missed.

His defence, Emma Thacker explained that her client was currently homeless and living in a tent near Greenbridge.

“He reports he was awoken in the early hours of the morning on May 11 and unfortunately his tent and belongings were under water,” she said.

“There had been rain and because of where he had positioned his tent he wasn’t aware he was in a place where water gathers and woke up in a depth of water.”

She further explained he did not have the funds to travel to Chippenham, but he had considered trying to cycle, although this would have taken him some time.

He received a 12-month community order in April of this year for other offences and had been working hard with the probation service and had not missed any appointments.

“He feels that if he remains in his situation in his mind he may not survive the next 12 months,” she said.

“His mother passed away from cancer when he was 14 and he has never recovered from that. He has had a spiralling addiction firstly with alcohol and with heroin. He is on a methadone script.”

Sentencing him, chairman of the bench Paul Morris told Boston-Thomas the offences were aggravated by their homophobic nature, which forced him to impose a 12-month community order.

He must also pay each victim £50 compensation as well as a victim surcharge of £85.