Loved-up pair forced apart on special day

May 24 2009 by Lisa Hutchinson, Sunday Sun

On April 17 she was convicted for five breaches of an abatement notice and fined a total of £515 as well as getting the Asbo slapped on her.

The conditions of the order banned Caroline from making excessive noise, knocking, shouting, screaming or vocalisation that can be heard in neighbouring properties or outside the house. It also prohibited her from playing loud music.

But on June 4, Caroline will go to Newcastle Crown Court to make an appeal against her Asbo.

“This has to change,” she said. “This means that anyone can make a complaint against me and on their say-so I can end back in jail.”

Husband Steve, 48, a former employee at a concrete works, said: “I started crying when I heard that my wife was being sent to prison.

“I couldn’t see her when she was taken away from the dock, it was awful seeing her handcuffed.

“I then went to see her in jail and I cried again. Prison was not a place for her. We love each other and have never been apart. I was going home to an empty house and now, even though she is out of jail, she can’t come home.

“We had lots of plans for our 25th anniversary but they won’t happen now. We will spend the day together then I will go home and Caroline will go to her bail address in Sunderland.

Caroline, who has not been able to carry on with a teacher assistant course, added: “It costs around £1000 a week to keep someone in prison and then thousands more to bring me to court. Surely the taxpayers’ money should be put to better use than that.

“We waited 20 years before we could afford to buy our home and feel settled now. I don’t want to move, I would just like to be able to return home where I can be with Steve.”

Caroline will return to Sunderland Magistrates on June 8 where her alleged Asbo breach will be committed to Newcastle Crown Court.