Middlesbrough drug addict mum-to-be who acted as 'robbery bait' given reform chance

Bernadette Howells has been given six months to reform or go to jail after acting as bait in the knifepoint robbery of a student

A mum-to-be who acted as bait in a knifepoint robbery of a student was given six months to reform or go to jail.

Drug addict Bernadette Howells, 30, approached the young man late at night in central Middlesbrough when he was recovering in the fresh air after a pub crawl with pals.

He was sitting near the law courts building when she called out to him “Do you want some fun?”, and he said no.

Howells then asked him for a light and, moments later as he was putting his phone into his jeans pocket, he felt a knife at his throat.

The student turned and he looked into the face of a male who said “Empty your pockets”, Teesside Crown Court was told at Howells’ trial last month for robbery.

The man stole his phone and £10 before running off with Howells.

Howells, from Middlesbrough, was found guilty of robbery.

She had a previous conviction for possession of an offensive weapon, said prosecutor Robin Turton.

She was back before the court yesterday for sentencing.

Graham Silvester, defending, said that Howells is due to give birth on June 28.

He said that it was rare for a pre-sentence report to be as positive as the one prepared on her.

Mr Silvester told the judge: “She is making sustainable changes, and the report says that a custodial sentence would be detrimental.

“She impresses as someone who is trying to get away from a difficult background and making very real progress.”

Howells is currently being drug-tested once a week and is being seen by her drug programme co-ordinator.

Judge Howard Crowson told her that she had played a part in the robbery on Sunday, August 29 last year.

The judge added: “You have changed your attitude to drug use and now you seem to me to be worthy of encouragement.

“If you remain drug free and you do not commit another offence you will not go immediately to prison.

“If you go back to your old ways and you re-offend you will do, whether or not you are a young mum with a child.”

Sentence was deferred for six months until October 2 on Howells, of Wicklow Street, Middlesbrough, and she was granted bail.

The judge told her: “Keep involved with the drug agency.

“If I don’t get some positive news from them that will go against you.”