A TEENAGE drug dealer who was spared jail and handed a community penalty has been given a second chance after he failed to turn up to unpaid work.

Explaining his absences, Charlie Hodge said he didn't like crowds and found the 'argy bargy' involving other community sentenced workers 'difficult.'

The 19-year-old, formerly of Summers Close, Kingston Bagpuize, had admitted two counts of possession with intent to supply heroin and cocaine.

Hodge was just 17 when he was caught, along with two others, near Oxford Ice Rink at Oxpens Road on January 29 last year.

READ AGAIN: Teenager caught dealing cocaine and heroin at Oxford Ice Rink.

When two patrolling police officers approached the group they could smell cannabis in the air and so they decided to carry out a search.

On Hodge they found a haul of Class A drugs, including 27 wraps of cocaine along with 18 of heroin.

Earlier this year he was handed a community penalty for those offences to include 120 hours of unpaid work.

At Oxford Crown Court yesterday it was revealed that he had failed to comply with that order by missing and leaving part-way through a number of unpaid work appointments.

His defence barrister Angus Mathieson said that his client 'found crowds quite difficult.'

He added that there had been some 'argy bargy' involving some of his fellow workers which he had 'found quite difficult.'

The court heard he had completed 60 hours of the final 120-hour tally.

Presiding Judge Ian Pringle QC ordered that the community order should continue.

He also added an additional five rehabilitation activity requirement days to his remaining total.

The judge told him: "This is an order, it is not an option, and you must comply."