Preston lorry driver told he's lucky not to be behind bars after breaching suspended sentence for third time

A Preston lorry driver has been told he is lucky not to be behind bars after breaching a suspended sentence for a third time.

Louis Wareing failed to show up for unpaid work sessions ordered by a judge as part of his punishment for attempting to aid a wanted man to escape capture following a stabbing in the city.

But even though the 26-year-old had failed to comply with the order on two previous occasions, Recorder Mark Ainsworth decided it would be unjust to jail him because he had only seven hours of the work order to complete.

"Get those hours done, put it all behind you and move on with your life," he told him when he appeared at Preston Crown Court.

The court was told Wareing, now of Westmoreland Close, Penwortham, had been given a 21-month prison sentence suspended for two years in July last year for intending to impede the arrest of a man wanted by police in connection with a knife attack in Tag Lane, Ingol.

Barrister Daniel Dewhurst, prosecuting, said one of the conditions of the order was that he complete 80 hours of unpaid work.

Twice he breached the order by not attending work sessions without excuse – first in September 2025 when a further 12 hours were added as a punishment and second in August this year when a judge fined him £360.

But he failed to turn up for two more appointments in August and September and was ordered to attend court to explain why the suspended sentence should not be invoked.

When he appeared before Recorder Ainsworth he did not have legal representation, telling the judge “I can't afford it”.

Mr Dewhurst explained that Wareing had completed all-but seven hours of the unpaid work requirement – which could be completed in ether one day, or two.

A probation officer had recommended to the court that another fine would be sufficient punishment.

Recorder Ainsworth told Wareing that in the light of the offence of assisting an offender, he was fortunate he had got away with only a suspended sentence.

The unpaid work element had only been 80 hours and yet he was back in court for a third time for not complying. “Here we are almost 18 months later and there are still seven hours outstanding.”

Wareing explained from the dock that he had found it difficult to get to sessions because he was an HGV driver working night shifts.

“No-one wants to put you out of work or our out of a job,” said the judge. “But unless you comply you put the court in a difficult situation.

“By law I have to activate it (suspended sentence) unless to do so would be unjust. I don't want to. But at some point you have to complete the order.”

The judge said it was rare that someone could be before a court for a third breach and the order would still not be activated – especially when the sentence was “particularly light in the first place”.

Telling Wareing he had decided not to jail him, he added: “I am going to hit you in the pocket and impose a fine, because that is the way I think will encourage you (to comply).

“It's just seven hours. I imagine you could do it online. There are different options. You could do it in one day, or two days.”

He warned Wareing that another breach would almost certainly land him in prison.

“I have been working in these courts for 33 years and I can't think of a case where someone has come before the court for a fourth breach – I'm sure it happens, but it's very rare.

“At some point a judge will activate it. No-one wants to see that, but you have to play your part. Find a convenient time and get it done.”

He fined Wareing £300 for the breach and £102 in costs, with the threat of one day in prison if he fails to pay by December 23.

In the incident in 2025 boxer Usman Sajid was stabbed 20 times and suffered wounds to his head, chest and arm in a frenzied attack in a house of multiple occupation in Ingol during a row over a £20 debt.

Qusai Abdalla was jailed for 12 years and four months for wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.