May 11, 2010

Teenager fearful of prison release

By Anne Clarkson

A 19-year-old woman has told the court she is enjoying prison and is fearful about what will happen to her when she leaves.

She was sentenced to 10 months? jail in the Christchurch District Court today, to ensure she gets access to drug treatment.

Judge Jane Farish said she wished she could send Katherine Mary Easton to Moana House which has a drug and alcohol rehabilitation programme.

But to get her into the programme she had to send her to prison, to get an assessment that could not be done prior to sentencing, she said.

She gave Easton leave to apply for home detention and wanted to make sure she was not released from prison without support.

Defence counsel Grant Tyrrell said Easton eventually turned herself in to the police, and had drugs on her at the time.

Easton faced sentencing on charges of unlawfully interfering with motor vehicles, theft, burglary, shoplifting, assault, possession of drugs, and unlicensed driving. Some of the charges involved resentencing.

Judge Farish called her a tragic 19-year-old and said the offending had happened over the last two years.