A SHOEBURY man breached a suspended prison sentence twice...but has still avoided jail.

Liam Spearman avoided being locked up in June last year after attacking a shopworker in Sainsbury’s Local in Southchurch Road in Southend on March 5, 2017.

The now 20-year-old, of West Road, Shoebury, had been planning to steal booze from the store with his friend Jordan Homer, before being stopped by a member of the public and a shop worker.

Spearman attacked the shop worker, causing minor facial injuries, while Homer attacked the member of the public causing a bleed to the brain.

While Home was jailed for three years, Spearman was given a suspended sentence and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

However, at Basildon Crown Court yesterday, Spearman admitted breaching the order by failing to show up for the work without reasonable excuse, having only completed 162 hours.

The court heard that this was Spearman’s second breach of the suspended sentence.

Judge Samantha Cohen told Spearman: “Do you understand how thin the ice is underneath you? This is the second time you appear for a breach of the suspended sentence order, which itself might have been regarded by some as a merciful sentence.

“You have allowed yourself to stop taking it seriously. I hope this breach has reminded you that it is a very serious order.”

Judge Cohen said that due to Spearman’s age and maturity he would better benefit from the thinking skills programme being added to his order.

The judge added that any further breaches would land Spearman straight into jail.