Oxford biochemist could face jail after missing unpaid work sessions

A Christ Church student has been told by the court he faces jail if he continues to miss court-ordered unpaid work sessions.

Kurtis Chisholm appeared before Judge Peter Ross in Oxford Crown Court last Wednesday, after missing unpaid work sessions on January 19th and 20th, without any evidence as to why. Judge Ross suggested the student had thrown the opportunity he was given to continue his studies “back in the face of the court”.

The original sentence was awarded following Chisholm’s appearance in court in April 2015, where he admitted causing actual bodily harm in Anuba nightclub on Park End Street.

According to the Oxford Mail, prosecutor Alexandra Bull said Chisholm was with two female friends when one of them felt a stranger’s hand run from their thigh up her back. She said Mr Steinert, who was very drunk, then grabbed out towards the defendant, who then headbutted him. The prosecution said the victim was left with a three-inch laceration that needed to be medically glued.

Anuba, where the original attack occurred

The 21-year-old undergraduate was given a 16-month suspended sentence, along with a curfew, following the attack last year, in order to allow him to continue his studies. He was also required to undertake 200 hours of unpaid work. Chisholm’s defence barrister said on Wednesday that the student had completed “roughly a quarter” of the work ordered, and had failed some of his subject modules required to maintain his status.

Judge Ross insisted that Chisholm must carry out at least one unpaid work session a week, unless he can provide evidence that this will clash with exams.

He said: “You are a young man who, after an extremely difficult start in life, received extraordinary opportunities.

“Although I have major question marks over the way the order has been managed, it is clear to me that you have been playing fast and loose with this order.

“Quite what went wrong in terms of your studies is not clear. Some would say, having been given the opportunity by the court, you have thrown it back in the face of the court in not complying with the order.

“If you come back before me having passed your exams and having undertaken unpaid work as I have required you to do, I will allow the order to continue and mark it with some additional hours.

“But if you do not, your opportunity, a final opportunity, will have evaporated and you will go into custody.”

The case has been adjourned until July 22, when Kurtis will know the results of his resit examinations, and the Judge will assess whether he has complied with this order.