(Image: Cleveland Police)
A woman accused of taking drugs into prison upon her admission to start a sentence could end up back behind bars if she fails to turn up at court today (Thursday August 13).
Rebecca Hunter, 37, is charged with four counts of conveying a prohibited article, all drugs, into Low Newton Prison, on the outskirts of Durham.
The various substances, including ketamine, were found on her when she was searched upon admission to the prison on November 29 last year.
Counsel for Rebecca Hunter told the defendant must attend court for a plea hearing or be made subject of an arrest warrant
(Image: Cleveland Police)
Hunter, of Stump Cross, Guisborough, was given a ten-week prison sentence by Teesside magistrates the previous day for shoplifting offences, including the theft of a charity collection box, which put her in breach of a criminal behaviour order, only imposed in September last year.
Guilty pleas to the drugs offences were indicated when she appeared before magistrates last month and she was bailed to appear at Durham Crown Court for a plea hearing in the case, yesterday (Wednesday August 12).
When she failed to appear for the hearing, Judge Richard Clews asked her counsel, Eleanor Bohill, for the explanation for her failure to attend.
Miss Bohill told the judge: “She informs me she doesn’t have the means to travel.”
Judge Clews replied: “The magistrates’ court bailed her a month ago and, so, she has had plenty of time to put her finances together.”
Miss Bohill said: “She intends to make guilty pleas having made admissions in interview.
“I would be requesting preparation of a pre-sentence report by the Probation Service upon those guilty pleas being entered.”
She asked if the defendant could appear by video link to enter her pleas.
But Judge Clews told Miss Bohill: “She needs to be here to enter those guilty pleas.
“I’ll adjourn until tomorrow (Thursday August 13) and if she’s not here, I’ll issue a warrant for her arrest.”
The judge said it would convey the “wrong message” to excuse people from making a 20-plus mile journey to appear in court.
Judge Clews added: "I'm afraid she does have to come.”