Sunderland woman given an 'absolute last chance' and spared jail after breaching her bail conditions

A woman has been warned she faces being jailed if she again breaches her bail conditions by failing to be fitted with an electronic tag.
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Claire MacClean, 40, was twice not at home in South Market Street, Hetton, when a team from monitoring firm EMS came to install the system, a court heard.

MacClean, who denied the breach, claimed she was present but unable to get to her boarded-up door in time, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told.

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But in a blunt rebuttal, District Judge Sarah Griffiths found the charge proven and told her she would jail her if she again failed to have the device fitted.

South Shields Magistrates' Court. South Shields Magistrates' Court.
South Shields Magistrates' Court.

She said: “As far as I’m concerned, you’re not complying with this curfew. You are close to being remanded today.

“If EMS come one more time and don’t get into your property to fit this tag, or if there are any more breaches, you will be remanded into custody.

“If they come and you do not answer the door, you can expect to be in custody until your trial. This is your absolute last chance.”

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Prosecutor John Garside said EMS had visited MacClean’s home on Wednesday, May 27 at around 11.45pm and at 9.41pm on Thursday, May 28.

MacClean failed to answer the door, prompting the allegation she was not inside and in breach of a court-imposed 8pm to 7am curfew, he added.

She appeared before the same court on May 4, when she also denied breaching her bail conditions in a case that was also found proven.

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In her latest hearing, Jason Smith, defending, said her home had been boarded up and made so secure that she had difficulty getting to the front door.

He added: “It takes her fifteen or twenty minutes to get down to the door to let EMS in. It takes her so long to appear, that they have gone."

MacClean was rebailed on condition she resides at her home, has the tag fitted, abides by the curfew and does not contact prosecution witnesses.

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