A CLYDEBANK man who was spared prison after he admitted a series of road traffic offences has been told to do extra hours of unpaid community work following the death of his partner.

John Brown, 43, was handed a community payback order (CPO) as punishment for driving without a licence and without insurance, and failing to provide two specimens of breath to police, after he was stopped in the town’s Riddell Street on August 16, 2016.

Under the terms of the order, Brown had been ordered to attend regular appointments with a supervising social worker and regular court reviews of his progress, and to carry out unpaid work.

However, a court hearing on August 30 was told that Brown, of Vanguard Street, Drumry, had failed to attend several appointments – partly because he had gone to the Western Isles for work after his partner died.

A warrant was issued for Brown’s arrest last November in connection with his breaches of the order.

At Dumbarton Sheriff Court, Brown’s solicitor, Lauren Kerr, said: “There was a delay in the order starting because Mr Brown’s partner was seriously ill and he was caring for her.

“She passed away around the time of one review. He then obtained work in Stornoway and took that as an opportunity to get away from the local area, almost as a fresh start.

“He was away for several months. He accepts he should have been in contact but, given everything that had gone on, his head probably wasn’t in the right place.” Sheriff William Gallacher told Brown: “With considerable hesitation I will allow this order to continue – but I will vary it.

“There were 158 hours [of unpaid work] outstanding – I’m going to increase that to 200 hours, to be completed within eight months.”

Fixing a review of the order for October 24, Sheriff Gallacher added: “If you are complying, I will allow the order to continue, if you are not complying I will revoke the order and I will send you to prison.”