HE’S helped thousands of ex-offenders turn away from crime.

But probation officer David Stones, 64, will be forced to retire this month – despite the Government urging people to work past the age of retirement.

For nine years David has built up an exemplary record working for West Yorkshire Probation Trust (WYPT) at Huddersfield Magistrates Court – reforming thieves, violent offenders, drug addicts and other criminals.

The Government axes the default retirement age of 65 in October.

But because David, a former prosecutor for Securicor, reaches his 65th birthday later this month he’ll be forced to retire.

And Mr Stones feels aggrieved because the Ministry of Justice, which runs the Probation Service, scrapped its compulsory retirement age in April last year.

So far David, of Wooldale, has offered to work flexible hours and in different courts, but his appeals have been rejected.

He is currently the only probation officer at Huddersfield Magistrates Court who is able to prosecute, on behalf of security service G4S, offenders who breach their bail conditions.

David’s performance in his last appraisal was described as ‘outstanding’ and his colleagues – including his manager – have written to WYPT urging the service to let him keep his job.

But as of April 17 he will be unemployed due to ‘financial constraints’ and the ‘need for staff numbers at all levels to reduce’ through ‘natural turnover’ of staff.

Now Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney has agreed to raise the issue with Probation Minister Crispin Blunt.

David, who has five grandchildren, said: “I’m doing a good job, I’m fit and well and I’ve got the support of my colleagues.

“I’ve bent over backwards to what the Probation Service wish and they’ve said that at 65 I’m on the scrapheap.