Sunderland woman back before courts after breaching community order
A Houghton-le-Spring woman convicted of attacking a paramedic has been hauled back into court for refusing to comply with her punishment.
Faye Branighan, 36, committed her assault in Bayswater Road, Town End Farm, Sunderland, on Monday, June 30 last year, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.
Branighan, of Waller Terrace, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault by beating of an emergency worker at the same court on Wednesday, December 10.
She was sentenced to a 12-month community order, with requirements of a three-month drug support programme, 10 days of rehabilitation and 80 hours of unpaid work.
But she failed to play ball – missing appointments for two induction days to prepare her for her unpaid work sessions, on Monday, January 5 and again a week later.
Both times, she told her Probation Service officer her appointments were too early and she did not have the travel expenses.
At her latest hearing, Branighan admitted a charge of breaching the requirements of the community order without evidence of a reasonable excuse.
The Probation Service revealed she had attended an initial induction appointment on Wednesday, December 17, at which the terms of the community order were explained.
But it confirmed she then failed to attend the January 5 appointment, telling her support worker it was listed too early in the day and she was without the funds to get there.
Branighan was then sent a letter inviting her to a second appointment on Monday, January 12, but again failed to appear, citing the same excuses.
However, the Probation Service also said she had engaged well with her rehabilitation days and a drugs test had proved she had no illegal substance in her system.
Defending herself in court, Branighan said she had just two weeks left of a drug treatment support programme with Sunderland rehabilitation service Wear Recovery.
She also told magistrates her finances were not yet in order, but she was getting support with that.
Magistrates revoked Branighan’s current community order and replaced it with a new one of 12-months, with requirements of 10 rehabilitation days and a three-month drug rehabilitation programme.
They also ordered her to pay Probation Service costs of £60.