Freed from prison: woman who keeps going to Mansfield

JUDGE UPHOLDS ORDER TO STAY OUT OF TOWN

A WOMAN is set to be freed from jail for breaking orders to stay out of Mansfield town centre and council offices.

Amanda Gamblin, 43, pictured above, declined to attend Nottingham Crown Court and also refused the help of defence lawyers. She is currently in custody and the case could have been adjourned again.

But Judge Nigel Godsmark QC said: “I don’t want to turn this into some sort of a stubborn stand-off.”

He imposed a three-month jail term on Gamblin, who had admitted breaches of a criminal behaviour order which was imposed on April 9.

She is expected to be released from prison shortly. Her last address was given as Carter Lane, Mansfield.

The judge said that she had committed “persistent breaches”.

Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said the order banned her from going into Mansfield town centre. She must also not go into the Civic Centre, in Chesterfield Road, the base of Mansfield District Council. The terms of the order allow her to contact the authority by phone or the internet.

On June 5, she went to the Civic Centre, where she was recognised but refused to leave, said Mr Murphy. However, she had gone by the time police officers arrived. “Eight days later, she was seen in Mcdonald’s, which is in the town centre in one of the prohibited areas,” Mr Murphy said.

“She was recognised but, by the time officers had ascertained it was a breach of the order, she had left the restaurant. “On June 18, she was once again seen on CCTV on Church Street, Mansfield.” He added that since the order had been imposed, her breaches had been “persistent and deliberate”. When the order was imposed, Mansfield police described it as “a last resort” which came after she was involved in 12 incidents of violence or anti-social behaviour. At one point, she was given 30 weeks’ jail after being found guilty of two assaults and violent behaviour at a police station. The order – which used to be called an asbo – remains in force. That leaves her at risk of arrest for entering the town centre.

I don’t want to turn this into some sort of a stubborn stand-off

Judge Nigel Godsmark