A MAN who appeared in court after failing to carry out an unpaid work punishment has been spared prison.

Kristopher Cameron bleated a sheriff he doesn’t want to go to jail because he’ll lose out on time with his children - and possibly lose his livelihood too.

Cameron, of Argyll Street, Alexandria, was spared prison on Friday, despite failing to comply with a community payback order (CPO).

The order was imposed after the 28-year-old breached a condition of bail by being in Luss Road in the town on August 17, 2018.

Cameron appeared without a solicitor at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Friday for a review of the order - having been told at a previous hearing he was likely to go to prison if he didn’t do as he was told.

Sheriff John Hamilton asked him: “What do you think might happen today?”

Cameron replied: “I might get the jail.”

The sheriff went on to describe Cameron’s progress on the order as “awful”.

Cameron presented the sheriff with a sick line that ended on Friday, as well as with a letter from his girlfriend.

He then told the sheriff he was starting work at the Macdonald Forest Hills Hotel and Spa in Aberfoyle as a chef on Monday, after the sick line expired.

Sheriff Hamilton told him: “When you are fit to work, you work, and don’t do the CPO. You don’t bother yourself about this order at all.

“You must do it or you will get the jail. But because your bird doesn’t like it, you think you don’t have to do it.”

Cameron admitted he had only done 26 out of 200 hours and said: “I know, it looks terrible.”

The sheriff replied: “It doesn’t look terrible - it is terrible.

“I will set a review for a month’s time - and the report needs to be gleaming.

“In one month, there should be significant improvement.”

Cameron was ordered to return to court on June 14 to see if he has complied this time.