A JUDGE told a man due to be sentenced for a number of offences including actual bodily harm that his decision to adjourn the case was no promise he would avoid jail.

Karl Hardwick, who kicked a dad to death when he was a teenager, was expecting to be sentenced for two actual bodily harm offences, a common assault and criminal damage in his latest court appearance.

The 37-year-old’s case was listed for sentencing on Monday, but early on in the hearing his representative, Sam Lamsdale, said that she was reluctantly applying for the adjournment.

She explained that late on the night before the hearing a psychiatric report had been submitted.

Mrs Lamsdale said: “The passages I ask your honour to consider: ‘should the court be considering a custodial sentence in this case it should be for the shortest possible time for the longest possible time on licence’.”

Mrs Lamsdale said in light of that she had spoken to the probation service on what options that could offer, and said the main thing would be a mental health requirement, but she was asking for the adjournment so that they could identify a treating clinician to recommend the treatment.

Prosecutor Simon Birch offered no observations on behalf of the crown.

Jude Nicolas Cole said: “It is unfortunate that yet again, a second time, I’ve had this case for sentence.

“There are a large number of matters for which he needs to be sentenced.

“But it seem to me appropriate to order a further pre-sentence report.”

READ MORE: Worcester man who killed father-of-four is jailed for latest crimes

READ MORE: Worcester thug gave names of other attackers to police

Asking Hardwick, formerly of Ronkswood, to stand, the judge said: “I’m not going to sentence you today for the reasons you have heard.

“I need to make plain to you that in adjourning for the report I’m not making any promises on how this court will deal with you.

“All options, including custody, remain open.”

Last year we reported that Hardwick was given a 22-week jail term after admitting causing a person to feel distressed in Worcester, making threats to a person in public, breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order and a suspended sentence he was given in September 2017 for assaulting police constable Deborah Manson in the execution of their duty.

He also had breached suspended sentences for stealing three bottles of fragrance from Boots in Worcester and resisting a constable in the executive of his duty, crimes committed in September 2017.

He was sentenced to eight years’ youth custody in 2000, when he was 17, after admitting being one of two teenagers who killed Kidderminster father-of-four Thomas O’Brien by kicking him to death outside a Worcester hostel.

Sentencing was set for January 5.