A single dad has revealed how desperate he is for a job to enable him to buy presents for his daughter - as he currently gets just £13 a month. Kenneth Temperton has cold-called factories in a bid to find work but he has so far not been lucky.
The 21-year-old told a Hull court, "I would love a job" as he stood before a judge after breaching a two-year suspended custodial sentence for a robbery offence committed when he was 17. Temperton, of Wimborne Close, off Dorchester Road, east Hull, admitted breaching the sentence imposed on July 16 last year.
He was brought back before Hull Crown Court after failing to attend probation service appointments on October 25 and November 10 this year.
A judge told him: "There's no way you should be living off £13 a month."
Michael Masson, prosecuting, said that Temperton had suffered problems with childcare after he and his girlfriend split up. He has also had financial difficulties through problems with Universal Credit after he was sanctioned for failing to keep an appointment, and has rent arrears of £400.
"A significant amount of leeway has been offered to him but seemingly to no avail," said Mr Masson.
Defence barrister Stephen Robinson said: "Progress has been, at best, mixed. It may have been better if that had been stamped down on at an early stage. I have to accept that progress has not been very good here."
The original two-year suspended sentence - the maximum that could be suspended - was "as close to actually being locked up as it could get". Temperton had made efforts to keep out of trouble and to change his life and he had not been in court for any further offences.
Temperton told the court that he had been looking for work. "I have been ringing up factories," he said. "I have been a factory worker in the past."
Judge Mark Bury told him: "You gave the probation service a lot of old slaver and they have let you off. That's what it looks like to me."
Temperton said: "I don't want to go to prison, sir. I got paid £13 last month.
"I just physically can't live off £13. I am not going out committing crimes. I am just sitting there waiting patiently."
He said that he needed to get a job because he had a daughter to support and, if he did not find employment, "she won't get any Christmas presents".
Judge Bury said: "Have you been to see Citizens Advice? There's no way you should be living off £13 a month."
He told a probation officer: "He can't live on that."
She replied that Temperton had the ability and motivation to work. "He just seems to have come to a standstill at the moment," she said.
Temperton also needed to set up a bank account because this was also causing problems with payments to him.
Judge Bury told him: "You need to go and get your Universal Credit sorted out until such time as you have got a job."
The judge told the probation officer: "His money needs sorting. It's a bad time of year to have no money."
Temperton said: "I would love a job."
Judge Bury told him: "Get a job even if it's only over Christmas. It's to your credit that you haven't resorted to crime.
"Don't ever do that again. People are trying to help you but you just need to meet them halfway."
The case was adjourned until January to see if Temperton can find work and get his problems sorted out.
