SEX offender Marc Few has been spared a prison sentence despite again breaching his order.

Few, 44, had just been released from a jail sentence and was supposed to report his whereabouts, Swindon magistrates heard on Wednesday.

Prosecutor Kate Prince told the court that because he was on the sex offenders' register for life he was required to tell them within three days.

He had been released on August 30 but failed to report at all and was later arrested because they had heard nothing from him.

It was his fourth breach of the sex offender register requirements, she added.

“You may feel that, given his previous convictions, he should be well aware of the consequences of failing to comply,” she said.

Few pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the notification requirements.

Tony Nowogrodski, defending, said Few completely apologised to the court for his error in not going to the police.

“He was released from prison, all he literally had to do was go to Gablecross police station and simply say he was of no fixed abode and that would have ended the matter,” he said, but Few was pre-occupied with finding somewhere to live.

“Unfortunately, with his track record, he didn’t find anywhere immediately,” said Mr Nowogrodski.

Because he had family links with Devizes he hit on the idea of going there to look for a roof over his head but was unsuccessful. However in the meantime was given accommodation in Plymouth Street in Swindon.

“His mistake was that he thought he had seven days and not three days to report,” said Mr Nowogrodski.

He said Few was resolving his past problems and during his time in prison he had maintained a drug free life.

So far he had lived a chaotic lifestyle characterised by alcohol problems and drug use. But if he had been a more ordered person he would have gone to the police station as required.

“He is a fool to himself,” said the solicitor.

But he added now Few had accommodation and an application for benefits had been made life was looking more rosy for him in the near future.

The magistrates imposed a 12-month community order on him and instructed him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also told to pay £85 prosecution costs and another £85 contribution towards victim services.