A CAR thief was sent to prison for four months yesterday after completing only six hours of two community punishment orders.

Unemployed Jon William Soley, 23, was told by magistrate Alfred Walker that he could have no more chances and now faced jail.

Last October Soley, of Corbridge Crescent, Darlington, was convicted of possessing equipment in connection with theft by magistrates in Penrith and was ordered to serve 150 hours community punishment.

Earlier that same month he had been given 70 hours punishment at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court for two offences of taking cars without consent.

He had pleaded guilty in both cases.

Darlington Magistrates' Court heard yesterday that Soley had served only six-and-a-half hours of the 220-hours total of the two orders.

In mitigation, defence lawyer Sam Brewster asked the court not to jail Soley.

He said one of the reasons his client had not attended, as ordered, was because an old enemy attended the same sessions and he feared for his safety. He also said Soley's girlfriend had suffered a miscarriage, and that he had had personal problems since his father had died some years ago.

Mr Brewster said his client had never been in jail before and was terrified by the prospect.

"He's admitted these breaches," he said. "He has previously completed a 40-hour community order, showing that he is capable of completing such an order."

Mr Walker jailed Solely for four months for the first offence and one month for the second, to run concurrently.