A judge has spared a Swindon man from jail because he believes that he has decided to go on the straight and narrow.

Paul O'Sullivan, 41, of Moredon Road, was arrested last June for making threats to kill, possessing an offensive weapon and setting a bike and a bag of clothing on fire.

He was found guilty of the offences in Swindon Crown Court on November 29 and was remanded in custody whileawaiting his sentence.

Mr O'Sullivan was granted conditional bail on December 16.

But he breached his bail conditions and was arrested a day later after walking into Rusks Convenience store in Rodbourne and demanding cash from the till from the female cashier.

He made off with £40 and was later found in the Rodbourne Arms pub.

He handed the money back and was taken into custody.

But defence lawyer Stephen Weighell said O'Sullivan knew it was time to make a fresh start. He said: "What he has been telling me which is also a view expressed by his mother is that he is in his 40s now and he should have outgrown all this.

"If he does not make himself come off alcohol it's never going to stop. This is the time that he's got to do it.

"He is getting older and hopefully he is getting wiser.

"I would ask you to give him the chance to get the support he needs."

District judge Simon Cooper sentenced O'Sullivan to an 18-month community rehabilitation order.

He also ordered him to pay £250 in compensation to the man he had threatened to kill and to pay £150 towards legal costs.

He then ordered him to attend Think First drug rehabilitation sessions run by the Swindon and Wiltshire Drug and Alcohol Service.

The judge said: "It seems to me that you have been adequately punished by the amount of time that you have already spent in prison.

"You need to go to every session of Think First and they are hard work.

"The success of this is up to you.

"If you have seen the light of day then it may be successful.

"You may have finally woken up to your responsibilities."

Diana Milne