Artist back in court for not devoting enough time to painting pet portraits

But the order was suspended when he failed to follow instructions and he found himself in the Royal Court for breaching it.

The order, imposed as an alternative to 15 months in prison for three drugs offences, was revoked and instead he was sentenced to a nine-month jail term, suspended for a year.

The 54-year-old, who previously had given his address as 7, La Chaumiere, Le Grand Bouet, St Peter Port, admitted breaching the order.

The court heard that Russo had a terminal viral illness and a dementia-like condition.

Community Service had worked to find a way for him to complete his order and came up with the pet portraits idea.

He completed 35 hours of the order before it was suspended.

Defence advocate Samuel Steel said his client’s illnesses meant he suffered from paranoia and anxiety and had missed an appointment as he did not wish to see anyone.

The order was suspended in May, but since then Russo had done 16 pet portraits. Community Service treated each one as 10 hours’ work.

The artworks were all commissioned by the pets’ owners.

Advocate Steel said thanks to his client’s work, a £500 cheque had been presented to Guernsey Mind, and his client was keen to do more to support mental health charities.

He asked the court to note that Russo was now complying with his medical regime.

Previously, Russo had stopped taking his medication in favour of using cannabis, which led to the original drug charges.

Judge Russell Finch said in sentencing the court took all the circumstances into account and could only give him credit for the 35 hours officially completed.

‘You were in breach and unofficial hours do not count,’ he said.

‘The Community Service staff have been very patient.’

Russo was sentenced to one month in prison for each of two cannabis possession charges and nine months in prison for a cannabis cultivation charge.

All the prison sentences were concurrent and were suspended for one year.