Unusual circumstances delay sentencing

Tuesday 27 August 2019

A single mum has been left homeless and is suffering mental health issues ahead of serving an expected prison sentence, as her court case has been adjourned numerous times.

Lisa Le Page has admitted a number of drug offences, alongside her former partner, Mark Bichard.

Both are expecting prison sentences having entered guilty pleas at a court appearance in April. 

However, since then Bichard has been charged in connection with other offences. He has not yet entered any pleas and that case is due to be heard in the Magistrate's Court next month.

As the former couple need to be sentenced by the Royal Court together for the original offences, Judge Russell Finch was asked to adjourn that case again when the pair appeared before him on Friday. 

Speaking for the defence, Advocate Sara Mallett told Judge Finch that Le Page is keen for her case to be concluded. She asked Judge Finch to consider the situation morally as well as from a legal position.

He agreed to adjourn the case but said he is sympathetic to Le Page's situation. It was said that her case is unlikely to reach sentencing before the end of the year now, through no fault of her own. 

She had given notice on her tenancy and was living in temporary accommodation which she also gave up as she had expected to start a prison sentence last week. Her advocate said Le Page has suffered mental health problems as well because of the continued delays in her case.