A County Lines dealer has been given yet another chance to stay out of prison.

Former addict David Watkins-Rudman pleaded guilty in 2019 to being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine. He was caught selling drugs for the Alex County Line.

Judge Peter Crabtree previously deferred sentencing him, and then gave him a community order, telling him to stay out of trouble and abide by the order’s requirements.

But the 35-year-old was back in the dock again on Tuesday – just three days before the order would have lapsed - after breaching those very requirements for the third time.

Rebekah Batt highlighted there was still 84 hours of unpaid work still remaining, although further hours were completed in recent days, but too late to be taken off the total in the breach proceedings.

She added that Watkins-Rudman, now of Shepard Street in Swindon, was told to undertake further unpaid work following the most recent court hearing in December, but has failed to attend.

The probation service said they are still willing to work with the defendant, and recommended revoking and resentencing so he had enough time to complete the requirements.

“We have had lengthy discussions,” probation officer Melanie Soane told Judge Crabtree. “I fully believe that if he focuses he can make change.”

Mitigating, Tony Bignall said: “Your Honour took a chance when initially deferring sentence and imposing a community order. He recognises that he’s got to give himself a boot up the backside.

“I don’t know how many times he’s asked Your Honour to give him one last chance. It would be a shame for all the leniency that Your Honour has shown him that it doesn’t show fruit.”

Judge Crabtree said he was not “entirely convinced” he was getting straight answers from Watkins-Rudman, adding: “At times he’s able to do construction work, at times he can barely move his arms.

“He needs to understand that he is looking down the barrel of two years’ imprisonment.”

The current order was revoked, and replaced with a new 18-month community order.

He will have to complete the thinking skills programme, and will be subject to a 12-week curfew, between 9pm and 5am on weekdays.

“There won’t be any further chances,” the judge warned. "If there is any breach of this, the probation service is to bring Mr Watkins-Rudman back and he is to come back with a bag because he won’t be going home."