A man’s home will become his part-time “prison” because he refused to wear community service work boots for fear of picking up a fungal infection.
Paul Martin (51), of Harvester Way, Crowland, refused to put on safety boots because they had been worn by other people, Spalding magistrates heard.
In February, Martin was given 12-weeks’ prison suspended for a year and 120 hours unpaid work by a magistrates’ court sitting at Lincoln for driving while disqualified and breach of a previous community order.
At Thursday’s hearing, Martin admitted breaching the order by demonstrating “unacceptable behaviour” on April 16 by his refusal to put on the safety boots and by failing to attend unpaid work sessions on April 22 and 23.
Chris Payne, for the probation service, asked magistrates to mark the breach by imposing an additional element to the sentence, a 7pm-7am curfew for four weeks.
But following a plea from Martin’s solicitor, Carrie Simson, the court revoked the original order and replaced it with an eight-week 7pm-7am curfew which means he must remain in his house or back garden during those hours. He will be electronically tagged.
Mr Payne said Martin had completed 56 hours of the order.
On April 16, Martin refused to wear the safety boots supplied by his supervisor.
Mr Payne said: “He was given a couple of chances to wear those boots but refused to do so, saying that other people had worn the boots before him.”
Martin failed to attend work on April 22 and 23 and was contacted by phone to ask for the reasons, but didn’t respond to the calls.
Mrs Simson said Martin worked previously without being asked to wear safety boots.
She said: “In his own words he didn’t want to get any fungal infections.”
Mrs Simson said Martin thought he had completed 62 hours of the order, but felt it wasn’t working. He had twice turned up when no work had been arranged and wasn’t given credit for that.