New bail terms in child grab case

A TOWNSVILLE grandmother accused of abducting her seven- year- old grandson has had some of her bail conditions changed in court.

The 56- year- old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested in New South Wales in May and extradited to Queensland to be charged with child stealing after she allegedly fled the state with her daughter’s son.

Defence solicitor Brad Hill yesterday submitted that several bail conditions should be amended, pointing to the specific wording in one condition that required her to reside at a particular address at all times.

Mr Hill said the way it had been written “led my client to believe that she would not be able to leave her residence to go and visit friends and family down around the Hervey Bay Maryborough area, which she is keen to do.”

Mr Hill also applied for the woman to not have to wear a monitoring bracelet but later withdrew the application after Magistrate Steven Mosch said he was not inclined to grant the change.

It is alleged the woman took the boy because she believed he was being sexually abused, a claim police say is unsubstantiated.

Custody of the boy was granted to his father on the same day the woman was released on bail, with conditions that she wear a tracking device and not have contact with her grandson.

Mr Mosch removed the words “at all times" from the residential condition, commenting that the GPS monitoring bracelet should make it possible at all times to determine her location.

Outside court the woman said she was happy with the amended bail conditions.

Her charge will next be mentioned before Townsville Magistrates Court on September 24 when her appearance has been excused.