JQuery datatables configuration - UK date/time

I am using Datatables 1.8.2 and am struggling to get it to work correctly specifically on the sorting of UK date/time (dd/mm/YY HH:ii:ss)

I have tried various plugins and add ons for Datatables but none of them are working for me - sometimes I can get the date to be sorted correctly but then I lose pagination or I get the date to be sorted correctly but I cannot change from desc to asc or when I change to sort by name I cannot go back to sort by date and so on.

I need Datatables to allow full and correct sorting by any column including dates in the table format I am using - I need this to be set up in such a way so I can create a config and then apply it to multiple tables via a table id or class.

If there is a better way of doing this than Datatables I am open to suggestions - for example, I have looked at tablesorter but it does not allow me to search which is a requirement.