A LLANDRINOD Wells man has been handed additional unpaid work hours after he breached a court order.

Phillip Cruise received the initial punishment of a 12-month community order in August this year after he crashed his car into a concrete wall in Llandrindod while drunk, but later refused to provide a specimen for analysis.

That offence had occurred in May while in July he had also admitted criminal damage and assaulting a police officer.

Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court heard last week that Cruise had been “honest and open” with the probation service about why he had breached the order on several occasions, which had been down to his deteriorating mental health.

Cruise, 34, admitted on Wednesday, December 7, that he had failed to comply with the requirements of a community order by failing to attend unpaid work on both October 24 and November 14.

Probation officer Donna Davies said: “He has re-engaged with probation and attended Kaleidoscope.

“He has been honest and open in that he’s been suffering with depression and mental health issues, his solution has been to lock himself away.

“He is currently suspended from unpaid work due to 3 absences, but the plan is to get him back in.” Ms Davies said Cruise had also completed just 2 of 20 rehabilitation activity days included with the order.

Acting on his own behalf, Cruise, of Troed-y-Rhiw, Llandrindod, said: “I have suffered with mental health issues. I have got doctor’s notes, which hadn’t been giving to the probation service.

“I have come to an understanding (about my order). I am now in a position to carry out my hours. I have been seeing my Kaleidoscope worker regularly.”

Magistrates added an extra 15 hours of unpaid work onto Cruise’s order – he was originally told to complete 180 hours. Magistrates said they would not add any more rehab days.