Suspended sentence for Northfleet mum who snuck cannabis into immigration centre... in her bra!
00:01, 10 November 2011
One of the buildings at Dover Immigration Removal Centre
EXCLUSIVE
by Paul Hooper
A 32-year-old mum-of-three who enjoyed a grope during a visit to an inmate at Dover Immigration Removal Centre has been given a six-month suspended jail sentence.
Chelina Watson, from Snelling Avenue, Northfleet, embraced her male friend in front of immigration staff, Canterbury Crown Court was told.
But a judge heard the kiss and cuddle was just a cover for the man, who snuck cannabis out of her bra.
Prosecutor James Bilsland said: "She went into the room to meet a man called Kadir and was watched by staff.
"She went into the toilet, came out and then went up to the table and the two embraced.
"What followed may be thought of as something of a pantomime because while they were embracing, Mr Kadir placed his hand down her bra and removed a wrap of cannabis."
But Mr Bilsland said Kadir's first grope only got him one of the packs of cannabis... so he went back inside for more.
"He was then informed there was another wrap in the bra by hand signals from Watson, so he placed his hand back down her bra again and retrieved the second wrap."
The two were then stopped and searched and the cannabis, worth £20, was found in Kadir's pocket.
Two days later, on June 1, she was arrested for shop-lifting and possession of cannabis and was given a conditional discharge by magistrates.
Peter Alcock, defending, said it had been an "ill-thought through" scheme.
Judge James O'Mahony told her he wasn't going to jail her because of her mental health difficulties.
Watson was given a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years and also ordered to receive treatment for her alcohol problems.