An alcoholic who ignored the terms of his court order was struggling to overcome his addiction, a court heard.

George Crosbie, 30, was sentenced to the community order in May for offences of criminal damage and assault.

It included six months of alcohol treatment and 10 days of rehabilitation activities.

But he admitted missing an unpaid work session and office-based appointment on June 23 and 28.

Kirklees magistrates were told that he has been suspended from a group course aimed at helping people with alcohol issues after failing to attend.

They heard that there had been a dip in his motivation to comply with the court order following the breakdown of his relationship and his increased drinking.

Video Loading

John Radcliffe, mitigating, said: “He has a longstanding issue with alcohol and treats it as a crutch when life gets difficult.

“He self-medicates as a way of dealing with these issues and this is linked to his previous offending.

“His relationship breakdown caused a great deal of upset and a decline in his attitude towards life and this order.

“But he wants to get a grip of his alcohol problem and to have a life where he is useful and productive.”

Magistrates told Crosbie, of Chandler Close in Birstall, that they were adding an extra three days of rehabilitation activities to his order as punishment.