A JUDGE was moved to offer a dad another chance after he promised the court would never seen him again.

James Barras told Judge Timothy Stead: "If you give me a chance I promise you will never see me in front of your court again."

Judge Stead admitted he was inclined to try and help Barras after hearing he had struggled with heroin addiction in the past and was trying to make a new life for himself.

Judge Stead told Barras: "I'm going to give you what chance I can."

Barras, 29, appeared before Bolton Crown Court yesterday having plead guilty to wounding Thomas Walker on March 7, this year.

Barras, Mr Walker and another man, Adam Whitworth were all leaving Barras' home in Paderborn Court, Bolton.

Mr Walker and Mr Whitworth were arguing about a car parking ticket the court heard from Verity Quaite, prosecuting, and Mr Walker tried to take Mr Whitworth's bag with the ticket in it.

Barras told Mr Walker: "If you hit him again I'll hit you."

Miss Quaite said Barras punched Mr Walker in the face and he fell to ground, hitting his head on a railing and "appeared to have a fit".

Mr Walker was unconscious and Barras placed him in the recovery position before fleeing the scene. Mr Whitworth called 999.

Mr Walker was left with a one inch cut to his face which needed eight stitches and bruising and swelling to the back of his head.

Miss Quaite said: "He is concerned this will affect his confidence."

Barras, who has a string of convictions to his name, moved to Bolton from Wiltshire in the last 10 months to live with his grandmother to change his life said Nick Clarke, defending.

The court heard that he had been dumped in early 2018 because of his heroin addiction.

Mr Clarke said: "He left the former partner's home and threw himself into his addiction and committed offences in order to further that.

"In July last year he realised his life could get no lower. He had a photograph of his young daughter, who he was very much attached to and in contact with.

"He decided to change his life. He stole a bicycle and got recalled."

Barras was then put on a 12 day methadone programme and left prison drug free said Mr Clarke.

"He has remained drug free ever since."

The court heard how Barras had found his own accommodation and was at risk of losing his home if he was given an extended prison sentence.

Judge Stead acknowledged that Barras had been in custody for five weeks and four days since handing himself in to police.

In a bid to help Barras remain at his home he gave him a sentence of 10 weeks, meaning he would be released immediately.

Judge Stead said under normal circumstances Barras' record and breach of his conditional discharge would have landed him months in prison.

He said: "On the other hand it looks as though he's been making some efforts...There comes a point at which it may be possible to reflect the efforts someone is making and try to avoid a situation where reoffending become unavoidable."