Jail term for taking car without consent

But Newbury magistrates suspended the sentence after pleas from Michela Tara Barlow’s defence.
She had initially pleaded not guilty to an offence of aggravated vehicle taking - namely, taking a blue Ford Fiesta without the owner’s consent and crashing, causing damage to it, at Newbury on March 4 this year.
The court heard the owner was a vulnerable, disabled woman who was had trusted Ms Barlow.
The 41-year-old, formerly of Thettaven, Kintbury, but currently of no fixed address, further admitted driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence on the same occasion.
However she failed to turn up to court on time on Thursday, June 26, and all three charges were found proved in her absence.
Ms Barlow eventually arrived later that morning and told magistrates she had had to hitch-hike from Kintbury.
She pleaded with them to re-try her case and Steve Molloy, defending, said his client was now “effectively living in a tent and has had to hitch hike to get here.”
But Liz Tweed, prosecuting, said: “The defendant knew the time the court was starting and could have got in touch with her solicitors.”
The bench retired to consider her plea but returned to rule that she was late without a valid excuse and that the verdicts stood.
In mitigation, Mr Molloy said that, although the car was crashed, no one had been injured.
Presiding magistrate Paul Dick told Mr Molloy the bench was minded to send his client to prison and Mr Molloy replied: “If that is the case, May I suggest that a suspended sentence would be a ‘sword of Damocles’ hanging over her and would also mark the court’s displeasure?
“She is not someone who is regularly here before the courts. She has not been in trouble since 2000.”
After retiring to consult further with colleagues, Mr Dick told Ms Barlow: “This is a very serious matter as far as this court is concerned.
“You will pay £100 to the victim - we’ve heard the effect it had on her. There was breach of trust; the aggrieved was disabled and needs her car. She is vulnerable.”
Aggravating features included the fact that Ms Barlow took a passenger on board and the fact that the car was damaged, said Mr Dick.
He went on: “Only a custodial sentence will do.”
Ms Barlow was sentenced to eight weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.
She was also ordered to pay a statutory surcharge of £80 and banned from driving for 12 months.