A STAB victim who was knifed in the face didn’t attend community service because he was worried about meeting his attacker.

Kyle Coupe was handed a community order in March for a stealing a bicycle.

But Swindon magistrates heard he had twice failed to attend unpaid work appointments in August, as well as a meeting with his probation officer the same month.

Coupe, 25, of Walter Close, admitted breaching the order.

Tony Nowogrodzki, defending, said his client had been stabbed in the face some time ago and was concerned about meeting his attacker at community service sessions: “I think at the back of his mind there’s a lot of anxiety. The last person in the world he wants to bump into is the assailant.

“The trouble is this is a very small town. He was stabbed previously. He’s afraid of going into unpaid work in case he bumps into his assailant.”

Magistrates marked the breach by adding 10 rehabilitation days to Coupe’s community order. He must pay £60 costs to the probation service.