Warrant issued for Lillian Davies, of Ferryhill, to attend court

Lillian Davies was warned all sentencing options, including prison, remain open after she admitted burglary and fraud at Durham Crown Court, in early April.

It related to the burglary of a house in Chilton from where she stole two purses, in February 14 this year.

She also admitted using a bank card from one of the purses later the same day, to withdraw £250.

(Image: The Northern Echo) Forty-year-old Davies, of Chestnut Avenue, Ferryhill, was also to be sentenced for two previous offences of fraud, from August 2023 and June last year.

Having been before magistrates for flouting her bail conditions earlier this week, Davies was again granted bail on Monday (June 16).

But she then, subsequently, failed to appear at the crown court sentencing hearing listed yesterday (Tuesday, June 17).

(Image: The Northern Echo) Her counsel, Cainan Lonsdale, said there was nothing he could tell the court to explain for her failure to attend the hearing.

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Ian West, for the prosecution, applied for a bench warrant for the arrest of Davies.

Recorder Paul Reid said if she did not turn up, albeit belatedly, at the court later in the day, he would issue the warrant.

As she had not appeared at the court by the close of the day’s sitting, it was confirmed the warrant had been issued for her arrest, not backed for bail.