Woman begged to be locked up rather than return to drugs and Leeds sex work
A woman begged a judge to be kept in prison, rather than be released and be forced to return to sex work.
Natalie Longley admitted breaching a restraining order and appeared at Leeds Crown Court over a video link from HMP New Hall.
She had been given the order in 2023 for stealing the possessions of a vulnerable pensioner.
But this week she pleaded with Judge Simon Batiste to keep her locked up.
Her barrister, Emily Hassell said in mitigation that Longley was homeless and would be dragged back into sex work in Holbeck.
She added: “She is fearful of being released while she has not got anywhere to go and being in a situation where she is homeless and go back to the line of work she was involved in.
“For the first time in a long time she is on a [methadone] prescription and is engaging with services.”
Judge Batiste adhered and gave Longley a five-month sentence.
Longley, a mother-of-five, was before the courts in 2023 for gaining the confidence of an 83-year-old man, before stealing the TV and bank card from his home in Pontefract.
She returned at a later date and distracted him while another woman stole his replacement TV. They then sold it at Cash Convertors.
For those, she was given a community order and a restraining order to keep away from the vulnerable victim.
On October 31 this year she saw the victim and flagged him down as he was driving by. She asked him for a lift, which he obliged.
But patrolling officer spotted her getting out his car in Pontefract town centre so moved in to arrest her, realising she was breaching her order.
They handcuffed her and she then tried to run, but was quickly detained.
She later admitted escaping lawful custody, as well as breaching the restraining order.