Sunderland man will be 97 before he pays off court debts after catalogue of crime

Paul Starkey, 32, was fined the nominal sum after he appeared before magistrates to admit failing to comply with a community order.

They took pity after hearing he owes a staggering £17,000 in costs and other charges related to past criminality.

Jobless Starkey is reducing the amount by just £5 a week – the base rate for people on benefits, the South Tyneside court was told.

It means it will take him over six decades - or to around the year 2089 - to discharge his debt at the current rate.

Starkey was handed his nine-month community order in August on a charge of outraging public decency.

The order compels him to work on his rehabilitation from offending over 10 days with the Probation Service.

He initially complied by registering with its team but then failed to attend appointments on Tuesday, September 10, and Wednesday, September 25.

Starkey was sent a warning letter after missing his first appointment, which was rearranged for Thursday, September 19.

He then failed to attend that office meeting and was informed he would be visited at home six days later.

The court heard when Probation officers arrived at his then abode, they were told he had left at 5am and had not returned.

A second warning letter still failed to grab his attention, the Probation Service said in court.

Starkey also appeared before magistrates on Tuesday, September 24, to admit a charge of possession of a class B drug, dating from Sunday, August 25.

Alastair Naismith, defending, said: “He accepts that he didn’t tell the Probation Service that he had lost his accommodation.”

A court official revealed Starkey owed £17,000, which was being repaid from his benefits.

Magistrates said they would not impose costs or a victim surcharge because he had spent over 30 hours in custody before being brought to court.