TRAVELLING from Cheltenham to Gloucester was too far for a 20-year-old who took part in an attack which left a man with a fractured jaw.
Aaron Mitchell, from Broadway Road in Toddington, failed to turn up to do unpaid work because he claimed the distance to get there was too great.
Gloucester Crown Court heard Mitchell even got his mum to call the probation service on one occasion.
He failed to attend three appointments.
He completed just one-and-a-half hours of the 100 hours unpaid work he was ordered to carry out after he assaulted Philip Richings outside Lace Nightclub on April 28 last year.
Mitchell had denied the assault, along with Robert Baker, 28, of Longland Close, Bishop's Cleeve, but they were convicted following a three week trial.
Along with the 100 hours unpaid work both were given a 26 week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months.
Judge Jamie Tabor QC said at the rate Mitchell was carrying out his unpaid work it could take him until 2019 to complete. After sending Mitchell to the cells while he decided upon his sentence, Judge Tabor told Mitchell if he imposed his prison sentence he would be spending 2,180 hours in a cell – rather than three.
He said to him: "Have you got the message?"
Judge Tabor added: "It is entirely up to you. You either pull yourself together and do what you are told to do or you go to prison.
"You have been given an opportunity and you have singularly failed. There will be no more chances.
"I hope you have had time to reflect. Just get on and do your work.
"You have obviously been driving your mum to distraction."
He added a further 10 hours unpaid work to Mitchell's sentence.
Defending, Joe Maloney said: "I have explained to him, in the presence of his mum, that if he does not do it he will go to prison.
"But he is up to him. He is the master of his own destiny.
"He clearly is a decent lad, but he has not grasped the severity of the situation."
