A SKIPTON man will spend Christmas in prison after magistrates activated a suspended custodial sentence.

Liam Clarke, 30, breached a community order twice by failing to attend unpaid work at a charity shop on May 21 and on June 11, the Skipton court heard on Tuesday.

Of a community order imposed in November last year, he had completed just 10 hours of his 260 hours unpaid work requirement, and none of his up to 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Joseph Bairstow, prosecuting for the probation service, said Clarke had failed to attend meetings and had offered no explanation. Following an earlier appearance at court, he had been given fresh arrangements to attend appointments in Bradford, where he was living at the time, which he had also failed to attend, without explanation.

He had five convictions for seven offences, carried out between March, 2012 and December, last year; and following a breach of a community order had been re-sentenced to a suspended prison sentence in November last year.

"Probation officers feel they can do no more and recommend custody is activated, " he said.

Keith Blackwell, in mitigation, said Clarke was suffering and was being treated for severe depression. He had spent time homeless and sleeping in an old car, and had now moved back to Skipton where he was 'building bridges' with his family.

Magistrates told Clarke, of Coach Street, who admitted the breaches, that he had 'wilfully' and 'persistently' failed to comply with his community order, despite being warned several times of the possible consequences.

They said they had no choice but to activate the 16 week suspended sentence and that on his release from prison, he would be under supervision for a further 12 months.

Any breach of that supervision could result in a further custodial sentence, they warned him.