Woman caught with teenager
A WOMAN handed a child abduction notice after a teenager kept going missing was caught with the girl at student accommodation in Huddersfield.
Bethany Knapton was issued with the warning because of her relationship with the 16-year-old child.
But the 20-year-old was caught with her when police forced entry into the flat in St George’s Square and she assaulted one of the officers.
Knapton pleaded guilty to assault by beating of an emergency worker and keeping a child away from the responsible person without lawful authority.
Prosecutor Alex Bozman told Kirklees Magistrates: “She has previously been issued with a child abduction warning notice.
“She (the teenager) is vulnerable and regularly reported as missing from her address. Concerns were raised that Knapton was where she was when she went missing.”
The abduction notice was served on her in January but earlier this month the girl was reported missing having failed to return to her home address.
Mr Bozman said: “In the early hours police received a report that there was a female screaming at a flat in St George’s Square.
“They attended and Knapton was stood by the main entrance of the accommodation. She said her friend was inside the building and the officers forced entry into the property.”
There was a male with the girl who was arrested for other matters, the court was told.
Knapton shouted at him and then spat in his direction but the spittle landed in the face of one of the officers.
Sonia Kidd, mitigating, said that there was not a vast age different between her client and the girl.
She said: “Miss Knapton is friends with that young person. It’s not like she was doing anything untoward.”
Mrs Kidd said that Knapton, of Juniper Grove in Netherton, was drunk and had a problem with alcohol.
Magistrates said they needed a full report on Knapton. They adjourned her sentencing until March 21 leaving all options, including custody, open.