Convicted burglar given prison sentence as magistrates lose patience over her 'wilful non-compliance'

Kelsie Burrows, 31, was imprisoned for 15 weeks on February 26 last year for a burglary and two offences of failing to attend court.

She also committed two thefts, threatening behaviour, an attempted theft and two bail offences, with sentences running concurrently.

Magistrates in Sunderland decided against jailing her after hearing the crimes had been committed under duress from an abusive former partner.

They instead suspended the sentence for two years but ordered her to undertake 35 days of rehabilitation work with the Probation Service.

Burrows was also ordered to abide by a six-month electronically monitored curfew.

But magistrates in South Tyneside have now activated the sentence in full after hearing she had failed to begin rehabilitation work and had never had a monitoring tag fitted.

Tearful Burrows, now of Front Street, Swalwell, Gateshead, fled the court when magistrates temporarily adjourned the case to decide her fate.

On their return, they activated the suspended sentence – and then issued a warrant without bail for her arrest.

A Probation Service representative told magistrates Burrows had shown “wilful non-compliance” – and recommended the sentence be activated.

Jason Smith, defending, said: “I’m going to try to persuade you that custody is not inevitable.

“At the time, Kelsie was involved in a very difficult domestic violence relationship.

"She was controlled by her partner and she was, to significant extent, forced to commit the offences she did.

“He forced her to do that to buy drugs off him and after he had made her an addict.

“Before coming into contact with that particular individual she was not an addict and she was not on drugs.

“It took a great deal of effort, a great deal of self-awareness and a great deal of support by the police for Kelsie to break that relationship.

“She escaped his clutches, he went to prison. She supported that conviction all the way through.

“Since the imposition of this order she has not committed any more offences, she has not come before the court.”

Stephen Burdis, chair of the bench, said the sentence must be activated due to Burrows's non-compliance.

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