A Pembroke Dock woman has avoided jail after she breached the requirements of her suspended sentence order.

Twenty-five-year-old Tiffany Marks, of Hill Farm Park, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Monday to admit the offence.

Ms. Marks was brought before the court after she failed to attend probation appointments on October 10 and November 7, 2019. She also failed to provide acceptable evidence to explain her absence.

Probation officer Julie Norman told the court that the defendant was given a 12-week suspended sentence order on May 7 for assaulting a police officer.

She added that Ms. Marks had been subject to 150 hours of unpaid work with a 20-day RAR (rehabilitation activity requirement).

Magistrates were also told the defendant had only completed 81 hours of her 150 hours of her unpaid work. But the RAR had been completed.

Ms. Norman mentioned that Ms. Marks’s attendance had been satisfied and as a result she was happy for the order to continue. However, the probation officer warned: “If Ms. Marks would appear in court again a custodial sentence might be considered.”

Jonathan Webb, defending, said his client was doing well, but had disengaged due to her getting evicted. But he mentioned that Ms. Marks had reengaged to a certain extent.

He added that the defendant had mental health issues, but said there was no excuse for her not attending her appointments and that she could have kept in touch with probation.

“People put their heads in the sand which does people no favours,” added Mr. Webb.

Mr. Webb said he had read the riot act to his client and told her what will happen if she appears in court again, saying it was her last chance.

Nevertheless, the defence solicitor told magistrates that there was light at the end of the tunnel for Ms. Marks.

Before sentencing, the chairmen of the bench, Alex Allison,told the defendant: “When this order was made you were aware of what was required and what was expected.

“Why did you not turn up? It is quite serious, you could have been facing imprisonment, but not today.”

Ms. Marks was fined £80 and ordered to pay costs of £50 to the probation service. She was also advised by the bench to talk to probation about her difficulties.