A Colchester man on a Think First scheme didn’t, and ended up in front of a judge.

Chelmsford Crown Court was told, although Steven Fenton, 21, of Gardenia Walk, Greenstead, was thirsty, he refused to drink water out of a jug that was available during the scheme, which is used to help offenders with their behaviour, and instead poured it out of a window.

He was dismissed from the scheme and as a result probation officials took his case back to Chelmsford Crown Court, where Judge Peter Fenn imposed a 20 hours work order.

Afterwards Fenton, who at the original court hearing which resulted him being on the scheme had received a 24-month community order for setting fire to a car, said: “I was upset. It was warm water on a hot day and I didn’t want to drink it.

“I’d done 19 out of 22 sessions,” he said, adding he now has a pregnant girlfriend and wants to put it all behind him.

Allison Lambert, for the probation service, told Judge Fenn about the background and said Fenton had been disruptive at one session previously.

She said: “He refused to drink from the jug of water, asked for another and when told to wait poured the jug of water out of the window and asked for it to be replaced.”

Catherine Bradshaw, mitigating, said he had psychological problems from meningitis.

Making the work order, Judge Fenn told him: “You’ve got responsibilities now.”