Hartlepool woman made threats to officer at HMP Low Newton, Durham.

Stacey Robinson’s apparent vendetta against the officer culminated in death threats after she was reprimanded over an outburst at a service in the chapel at HMP Low Newton, Durham, in September last year.

Durham Crown Court heard that prior to that day Robinson had been “negative”, and, “not very polite” in her dealings with the officer.

But, with 20 years’ experience in the prison service she had, “no great concerns” about the situation.

Annelise Haugstad, prosecuting, said the officer was working in the chapel for a Sunday service which the defendant attended.

Robinson kept standing up looking at staff members and the chaplain had to ask the prisoners to be quiet, so she could complete the service, while the officer asked those attending to be more respectful.

During the last song the congregation was standing and clapping, and Robinson told the officer to join in.

She refused and Robinson repeated her demand, but after the officer again said “no”, the defendant told her to, “get out of the f***ing chapel.”

Miss Haugstad said when Robinson was told to mind her own business by the officer, she threatened to “kick her head off”.

She was told to leave the service but refused and as she was being forcefully removed from the service she told the officer not to touch her or she would kill her.

Miss Haugstad said all of Robinson’s comments were being directed at the one particular officer, and she made further death threats as she was being led from the chapel, including telling her she would “do life” for her.

More staff members were needed to lead Robinson back to her cell, and the officer who was being threatened moved out of the way in the hope it would help to calm the defendant.

The incident was reported to the prison governor and the defendant’s cell was monitored.

During a welfare check she was heard to say she would “kill the c***” and she said she wanted to speak to the governor.

She repeated the threats to kill the officer and said she did not care what happened to her.

Miss Haugstad said in her impact statement the officer said while she accepted unpleasant things might be said in a prison environment she was upset at threats made to her family which had left her “on edge”.

She said she had made a point of keeping out of Robinson’s way and let other staff deal with her.

The officer stated that she was strict in applying the rules and Robinson was used to getting her own way.

In a further statement she said the issue had caused her “anxiety” and merely doing her job should never have had the potential to put her family in danger.

The 34-year-old defendant, from Hartlepool, admitted a single count of making threats to kill.

Her previous criminal record was said to include 42 convictions for 91 offences, including previous cases involving threats and public disorder.

Miss Haugstad said Robinson was serving a sentence imposed in September 2022 for burglary, aggravated vehicle taking and fraud.

She was released from that sentence in January but recalled to prison a short time later due to the current case she was facing at the time.

When discussing whether a restraining order should be put in place, Calum McNicholas, for Robinson, said she is no longer held at Low Newton, having been transferred to New Hall Prison, near Wakefield, in West Yorkshire.

Mr McNicholas said to her credit, the defendant pleaded guilty at her first appearance before magistrates, who sent the case to be sentenced at the crown court.

“In terms of mitigation, we did not ask for a probation pre-sentence report as the outcome is inevitable.”

Mr McNicholas said the defendant had a difficult upbringing, living in a “tempestuous” household.

He said that the defendant told him that having suffered post-natal depression at the age of 21, she turned to illicit drugs to cope.

Mr McNicholas said most of her offending has since been acquisitive crime to enable her to buy drugs.

He added that since her transfer to New Hall Prison the defendant has “thrived” and is making progress on various programmes she has taken advantage of, including those to address her drug and alcohol misuse.

She is now working full-time at the prison in an enterprise sewing sheets, wash bags and other items used in the prison.

Judge Nathan Adams said while serving her most recent sentence at Low Newton the defendant appeared to “take exception” to one of the officers.

“It escalated well beyond the level you would normally expect.

“You made significant threats intending them to be carried out and she feared you would carry them out on your release.

“It was a public servant merely undertaking her role.”

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Judge Adams imposed an eight-month prison sentence which will run alongside the defendant’s recall to prison serving the previously unserved part of her previous sentence.

Although Robinson is no longer at Low Newton, the judge also put in place a restraining order prohibiting her from approaching, contacting, intimidating or harassing the named officer.

The order will remain active for five years and the judge added that should Robinson ever find herself in a prison where the officer is working in future, she should, “keep away from her.”