No bail for woman who ran off with schoolgirl

TRACEY CHATTERTON
Last updated 05:00 20/06/2012

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A Hawke's Bay woman who spent two weeks on the run with a 14-year-old girl has been denied bail.

Leanna Marie Hodgetts, 39, is yet to enter a plea to abducting the high school pupil and unlawfully taking a car. A third charge has been suppressed.

The pair left Hawke's Bay last month, ignoring pleas from family members to come home.

A fortnight later, the girl turned up at a Havelock North retirement village. Police found Hodgetts in Featherston the next day.

Hodgetts kept sneaking glances at a public gallery filled with her friends and family during the bail application hearing in Hastings District Court yesterday.

The girl's father sat on the opposite side of the gallery.

Lawyer Eric Forster asked that Hodgetts, who has no previous convictions, be released on strict bail conditions.

He said the threat of returning to custody would encourage her to stay away from the victim.

Judge Evangelos Thomas said that the risk of the pair taking off again was too high to grant Hodgetts bail.

"I do not see anything that would stand in your way if you and the victim decided to act in the same way."

Judge Thomas said the girl would probably consent again to running off with Hodgetts but she needed protecting because of her age. Hodgetts was remanded in custody until August 8.

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- © Fairfax NZ News

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