A HEROIN addict who failed to attend appointments with the probation service after being released from prison has been given a last chance by magistrates in Swindon.

Daniel Abrook, 20, of Markenfield, Toothill appeared before Wiltshire Magistrates sitting in Swindon on Monday for failing without reasonable excuse to comply with the supervision requirements imposed after his release from 14 days in prison in August this year.

The court heard that Abrook, who regularly injected heroin and crack cocaine, had failed on three occasions in August and September to turn up for appointments with the probation service and in addition had almost £1,000 in outstanding fines imposed for theft offences and failure to pay his television licence.

Representing Abrook, Philip Hall told the magistrates that the burden of the fines was like “a revolving door leading to a downward chute”.

Mr Hall stressed that Abrook was keen to improve his life and had made attempts to contact his supervisor at the probation service and indeed had picked up the court summons from the probation service office.

“He has come back here to take his medicine and I urge you not to commit him to prison,” said Mr Hall.

Chairman of the bench Mrs N O’Connell told Abrook that he ought to go to prison but the magistrates had decided to give him one last chance.

There would be no separate order made for his failure to attend the appointments, she said, and to give him a chance of repaying his fines they would be drastically reduced to £259.16, adding “This is your last chance”.