By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 13:23, Wednesday, 24 October 2012

A judge has expressed concern about the future of a homeless man who he had to release from prison, even though there was no one to help him find somewhere to live.

John Albert Curran, 34, had already spent 176 days in prison on remand – longer than any sentence that could be imposed on him for an act of violence on his girlfriend.

So Judge Peter Hughes had no option but to pass a non-custodial sentence on him when he appeared at Carlisle Crown Court yesterday.

But he said he was worried that, although Curran clearly needed “help and support”, he would not be offered any assistance to find a bed for the night once he was released.

The judge was told none of the statutory authorities was required to help released prisoners in such circumstances.

And it was up to Curran to find help from a charity if he wanted it.

Giving Curran a 12-month community sentence, which included only a requirement that he is supervised by the Probation Service, the judge told him: “I am concerned about your situation upon release from prison because it is plain to me that you need help and support.

“You have no accommodation, but the onus in terms of finding accommodation is placed simply on you. There is no constructive intervention to ensure that you are not homeless.”

The court heard that Curran, who used to live in Drovers Lane, Penrith, assaulted his heavily pregnant girlfriend Holly Roberts in April by pushing her onto a bed while he was still in a “drug-induced” state from the previous evening. A short time later Curran he ran out into the street in Grove Court, Penrith, with a kitchen knife to chase a man he had had a disagreement with and who was leaving in a car.

The next day he damaged a bedroom door by kicking and punching it after another argument with Ms Roberts.

Curran, who had what the judge described as “an appalling track record” of 31 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Roberts, possessing a kitchen knife in a public place and causing criminal damage to the door.

At an earlier hearing, his barrister Greg Hoare said that while in prison on remand, Curran had realised the problems in his life, including a set of “undesirable friends” who encourage his use of drink and drugs.

Judge Hughes told Curran the most serious aspect of the case was the fact that at the time Ms Roberts had been heavily pregnant with his child.

“My concern is twofold – first of all to make sure that Holly Roberts is not subjected to the same sort of assault in future, and secondly to seek to ensure that you do not commit this sort of offence again,” he said.

He imposed a restraining order banning Curran from contacting Ms Curran, or going within 100 metres of her home, for the next five years, except when such contact was approved by the courts in order for him to see the child – a daughter – who has since been born.

First published at 12:36, Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk