Grace Hughes’ mum Laura Hinks makes bail bid to reunite with daughter

A Darwin mum accused of kidnapping her five-year-old daughter will make a bid to reunite with Grace Hughes under proposed bail conditions.

A Darwin mum who allegedly hid her kidnapped daughter with a group of conspiracy theorists is fighting to reunite with her children.

Laura Adele Hinks appeared in Darwin Local Court on Monday charged with the abduction of her five-year-old daughter Grace Hughes.

Police have alleged Grace disappeared for 12 days after being taken from a supervised parental visit in Berrimah on August 7.

Laura Adele Hinks leaves Northern Territory Local Court on Wednesday afternoon. Picture: Floss Adams.

Hinks is among five people charged for the alleged kidnapping plot.

On Monday her lawyer Matt Hubber said the 35-year-old was seeking to vary her bail to change the non-contact orders for her children.

Mr Hubber said the charge was still contested, but said Hinks was hoping to get a sentencing indication to see what penalty she could face if she pleaded guilty.

Under the NT Criminal Code the maximum penalty for an adult who kidnaps a child under 14 is seven years in prison.

Laura Hinks, 34, and her 5-year-old daughter Grace Hughes have been missing since Sunday. Picture: Supplied/NTPFES

Chief Judge Elizabeth Morris adjourned the Darwin mother’s bail variation and sentencing indication hearings to on December 13.

Fellow alleged-kidnapper, Juliet Marie Oldroyd also appeared before Ms Morris on Monday, facing fresh charges.

Police have alleged the 50-year-old breached her $20,000 bail agreement, two months after being released from prison.

Oldroyd allegedly allowed her ankle monitor to go flat, with investigators probing if she used that time to travel to Dundee Beach, 133km from Darwin.

Her lawyer Robert Welfare said she would be contesting the bail breach, saying she had charged it but the device was faulty.

Juliet Marie Oldroyd, 50, been charged with abducting five-year-old Grace Hughes from Darwin.

“We’ve been asking for a bail variation to get rid of this device,” Mr Welfare said.

Oldroyd was initially charged with abducting Grace, but four days after being released on bail was back in prison for allegedly sending a barrage of religious-themed threats to a police officer.

She was further charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice and making threats against an investigating officer.

Mr Welfare said the more serious charge, of perverting justice, had been removed.

He said Oldroyd was still waiting for the bulk evidence to be handed over, with some police footage “heavily redacted”.

“We’re after a fair trial here, we would like the evidence against us,” Mr Welfare said.

“It’s an unusual state of affairs.

“We’d like them before the trial, because it may resolve.”

The court heard there was CCTV footage of the alleged abduction, as well as 60 police body worn videos provided to defence.

Oldroyd will be required to attend her next hearing on January 23.

Originally published as Grace Hughes’ mum Laura Hinks makes bail bid to reunite with daughter