DOG OWNER IN COURT OVER COVID BREACH:
A WOMAN was arrested after breaching coronavirus restrictions when she turned up at her ex-partner’s home while intoxicated to collect her dog.
Rachel Wood, 42, told police “I don’t give a s***, lock me up” when officers threatened to arrest her for refusing to leave the home of Christopher James in Barry on April 15.
The offence took place at the height of lockdown restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic when people were restricted to remaining in their own homes and only having contact with people in their own household.
The defendant refused to leave the address after Mr James refused to give her possession of a dog they shared due to her intoxicated state.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday heard Wood also smashed the glass in the door of a neighbour’s home as well as her own in Treharne Road after getting locked out.
Prosecutor Abigail Jackson said police officers attended Holton Road to remove Wood from the property and described her as “being unable to sit up” and “slurring” her words.
They told her ownership of the dog was a civil matter and requested her to leave as she was not allowed to be at anyone else’s address other than her own.
The officers offered her a lift home but she continued to refuse and became verbally aggressive so she was arrested under the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (Wales) Regulations 2020.
In a later offence on July 13 Wood had been out with her new partner and had lost her keys to her house so used a hammer and screwdriver to smash the glass in a patio door.
She then went to a neighbour’s house and when they refused to let her in she said “Fine, f*** you” before using the hammer to smash the glass in the front door.
Both properties belonged to United Welsh housing who estimated the value of the damage caused was £150 for each door.
Wood later pleaded guilty to failing to leave an address when requested by an officer and two counts of criminal damage.
The defendant was also subject to a suspended jail sentence of nine months at the time of the incidents. This was imposed on November 21 last year and was suspended for two years. Defence barrister Paul Hewitt said his client would have been dealt with at the magistrates’ court were it not for the suspended sentence.
He also told the court Wood was paying £10 a week towards the damage of the doors.
Sentencing, Judge Tracey LloydClarke said: “I’m not going to send you to custody – I’m going to give you another opportunity. There has been a significant change in your circumstances. You have an underlying alcohol problem but since the commission of these offences you have undertaken extensive detoxification.”
Wood was fined £50 for the coronavirus restrictions breach and was sentenced to a 12-month community for criminal damage with a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and alcohol treatment requirement. The suspended sentence was not activated and has been left to run.