A BALLOCH thug who was spared jail after being caught with a quantity of heroin near his home has been warned he's on his last opportunity to stay out of prison.

Dean Flynn, 28, of Dumbain Crescent, was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work within six months at a court hearing in May.

He had admitted being in possession of heroin in Manse Drive in Haldane on March 4, 2018

But he'd managed only two of those hours by August – and by the time his case called again at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Friday, he had completed just 32, barely a quarter of the total.

At August's hearing Flynn – who was jailed in 2009 for torturing his aunt over a seven-hour period by tying her up, cutting her with a knife and burning her with a cigarette – had been given extra time to complete the order.

But despite his lawyer's plea that Flynn was still committed to carrying out his punishment, Sheriff William Gallacher was less than impressed.

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Kenny McGowan, defending, said Flynn had not gone to one unpaid work session in October because he had been at his mother's home to allow a team of occupational therapists to visit her property.

Sheriff Gallacher retorted: "Why was he the one who had to be there?

"This was an alternative to him going to prison. I'm not impressed with him saying 'there were family reasons, I couldn't go'.

"This order was imposed on May 8, for 120 hours. We're in the middle of November and he hasn't done it.

"He gave a commitment to the social work department in August to complete his hours. Nobody's stopping him.

"I think he thinks he doesn't really need to do it. I think he's said 'I didn't turn up because I had better things to do'.

"He has an obligation to go and work as an alternative to going to prison. He's now managed 32 – wow."

Mr McGowan replied: "These circumstances are unfortunate and there continues to be a commitment on his part."

Sheriff Gallacher told Flynn: "I'm going to continue this to December 3 at 9.30am. I want you to entirely understand this: if I get a report that says you have attended, on every occasion, I'll allow the order to continue.

"If you have not, I don't care what the reasons are – I'll revoke the order and send you to prison."