A WOMAN who was intimidated into smuggling 1.6g of cannabis into La Moye prison by her “coercive and controlling” former partner has been spared jail.
Jade Hopkins (35) was noted for her “excellent character” and granted a 12-month binding over order for two incidences of conveying a controlled drug into prison.
Relief Magistrate David Le Cornu, presiding, accepted that the only explanation for the Islander carrying out the offences was because she had been intimidated by her ex-partner.
Crown Advocate Harrison Gollop, prosecuting, said that Hopkins had transported the small quantity of cannabis inside her mouth during a visit to La Moye on 19 December last year.
The court heard that officers then searched her home, which led to the discovery of another 1.5g of cannabis “destined to go to the partner in prison”.
Advocate Adam Harrison, defending, told the court that his client’s offending “arises out of a controlling and coercive relationship” detailed in a probation report.
The report referred to her ex-partner intimidating both the defendant and her family at her home address, which affected Ms Hopkins’ “ability to make decisions freely”.
He said that the defendant had lived a “constructive adult life”, with her work history extending across the nursing and social care sectors.
But Advocate Harrison added Hopkins had been “regrettably” suspended from her studies to become a qualified nurse “pending the outcome of this case”.
“Naturally, she is devastated by the interruption to her studies”, he told the court.
Mr Le Cornu told the defendant that he believed her actions were a result of “genuine” threats made by her ex-partner.
“You are otherwise a person of excellent character, and there is no other explanation as to why you would commit such offences as these’, he declared.
Although he judged Hopkins’ offences to pass the custody threshold, he ruled that her case was “so exceptional” as to warrant a departure from standard sentencing policy.
“Following that exceptional decision, you will be bound over on each charge – to be of good behaviour – for 12 months,” he said. “I’m sure the court will not see you again.”
