A YOUNG father from Teignmouth has been jailed after he blew three different opportunities to work with probation.

Homeless Jordan Siddell, 28, turned up for just five out of 80 hours of unpaid community work and four out of 30 days of rehabilitation activities during the nine months since he was sentenced in September. 

He had previously had lucky escapes when a suspended sentence for burglary was not activated and he was given a chance to prove himself during a six month deferral of his sentence. 

He was even given parenting tips by a Judge at Exeter Crown Court when he received his most recent community order, being told he was being given a chance to set a good example for his young child. 

Siddell admitted breaching a community order which was imposed for and offence of failing to comply with a restraining order and was jailed for six months by Judge David Evans at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him: ‘You have failed to attend numerous appointments and have, quite frankly, sought to dictate the terms on which you would comply with the current order. Your attitude has not changed enough.’

The judge pointed out he had given Siddell a final chance to work with probation when he was first brought back to court in January but he had not taken it. 

The community order Siddell breached was imposed after he went to his mother’s home in Teignmouth in February 2023 in breach of a restraining order. That offence put him in breach of an earlier suspended sentence for burglary, but was not activated.

Miss Lisa Denley, prosecuting for the probation service, said Siddell’s compliance had been poor since September with only a handful of appearances at either meetings, unpaid work or sessions for a Building Better Relationships programme. 

Mr William Parkhill, defending, said Siddell has made great progress in his life in the past three years, reducing his drinking, living a more settled life, working as a chef and becoming a father. 

He struggled to attend meetings after being forced to move out of accommodation. He had not disrespected the order and is still keen to work with probation.