A drug dealer who was given a suspended prison sentence after being arrested in a police operation targeting drug dealing hotspots in Ipswich has admitted failing to turn up for appointments with the probation service.

Marcelino Vieira, 35, of no fixed address, was given a 21-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, a 30-day rehabilitation order and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work in September last year after admitting supplying crack cocaine.

Today at Ipswich Crown Court Vieira admitted failing to comply with the supervision requirement of his suspended sentence order and failing to provide acceptable proof of absence.

Juliet Donovan, prosecuting said Vieira had breached the order in November and had been given an extra 15 hours unpaid work as punishment.

She said Vieira had completed 32 of the 215 hours unpaid work order and hadn’t yet started the rehabilitation order.

Vieira explained he had found it difficult to attend appointments because of shift work.

Judge Martyn Levett agreed not to implement the suspended prison sentence and added a further 30 hours to the unpaid work order.

He warned Vieira that if he breached the order again he would be jailed.