A 16-week prison sentence was imposed by magistrates at Haverfordwest today (Monday) on a 28-year-old Pembroke Dock man who has breached community orders three times.

Richard Thomas O'Hare of 11, Gwilliam Court, pleaded guilty to his latest breach, committed on August 17th. Crown Prosecutor Simon Stephenson told the court that the original community order for 12 months was imposed on November 21st 2004. This ordered supervision and 80 hours of unpaid work and was increased by five hours on February 3rd when he was in breach the first time. A second breach in July resulted in magistrates adding another 15 hours to the order and the third led to his being in custody.

His solicitor Alun Morgan said O'Hare's life had fallen apart when his mother died in October 2007 and he was left in debt and homeless, turning to alcohol as a way of coping with the situation.

He spent the anniversary of his mother's death in prison for the first time and had been greatly affected by the experience. The original offences which led to his sentence were common assault and criminal damage in September 2004.

The magistrates sentenced him to 16 weeks imprisonment for the common assault on Hayley Cook with no separate penalty for the criminal damage. They revoked the original Community Order.