Woman who "overslept" fined for drugs offences

Saturday 08 July 2023

A 19-year-old woman who claimed she missed her initial court appearance because she slept in has been fined for possession of cannabis and resisting arrest.

Leonie Haynes was originally supposed to appear at the Magistrate’s Court on Friday 30 June but said she missed it as she overslept.

She had been due to be sentenced for three charges of possessing cannabis and one of resisting arrest.

St. Helier Centenier Paul Huelin, prosecuting, said police had searched Haynes' home on the morning of 21 March and discovered a nugget of cannabis resin. The offence put her in breach of a six-month binding over order imposed on 20 January for two charges of possessing cannabis and one of resisting arrest.

Haynes admitted the possession of cannabis in March and the additional charge of failing to surrender to court.

Advocate Chris Baglin, defending, said Haynes had certain health problems and one symptom of them was insomnia.

He said: "Quite simply she slept in. She offers her sincere apologies."

By the time Haynes did turn up on Friday the court had finished sitting for the day, and Advocate Baglin added: "Perhaps on another day, if the court had gone on for longer, we would have dealt with the matter."

He also said: "She wants to be better and she wants to work."

Magistrate Bridget Shaw said the offences now had to be met with a fine, telling Haynes: "I am not going to make a probation order because I have no confidence that you are going to comply.

"People who are trying to help you are coming to the conclusion that they cannot help, because you are not co-operating."

She imposed fines of £300 each for the two cannabis possession offences in January, £150 for resisting arrest at that time, and £400 for possession of cannabis in March – giving a total of £1,150. Haynes was allowed to pay at the rate of £25 per week.

There was no separate penalty for failing to surrender to court.