Grace Hughes’s mother Laura Hinks varies bail to contact alleged kidnapping victim

A Darwin mum accused of taking part in a conspiracy-driven kidnapping plot has fought with the courts to reunite with her children.

A mother allegedly embroiled in a conspiracy-driven kidnapping plot has successfully fought to video call her children.

Laura Adele Hinks is one of five people charged over the 12-daydisappearance of her daughter, Grace Hughes.

On Friday the 35-year-old mum appeared in Darwin Local Court to vary her bail to allow her to speak to her alleged victim, herdaughter, and Grace’s brother.

Police have alleged Hinks abducted her daughter from a supervised parental visit in Berrimah on August 7.

It has been alleged Hinks, her “mentor” Juliet Marie Oldroyd and remote cattle station owners Annette and Philip James Howie abducted the five-year-old for almost a fortnight before she was handed over to police.

Alleged kidnapper Laura Hinks leave Darwin local court. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

A fifth person, Angela Marcus, was charged with aided the group to hide Grace in the immediate wake of her disappearance.

On Friday, Hinks fought for her bail to be varied, allowing her to contact her children for the first time in nearly four months.

Judge Ben O’Loughlin said the accused kidnapper could only contact her children via video calls while they were on a supervised visit with CatholicCare NT.

Defence counsel Glenn Mohammed asked for her bail conditions to be linked to a separate court proceeding.

“So she doesn’t need to keep coming back to court as things progress in that jurisdiction,” Mr Mohammed said.

However, prosecutor Ian Read opposed this, as it could allow for bail conditions to be amended without the oversight of investigating police officers.

Mr O’Loughlin said there was a “subtle dispute” between the intentions of the two courts.

“Here, of course, we are dealing with criminal proceedings,” he said.

Alleged kidnapper Laura Hinks leave Darwin local court. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

“The children are victims in this matter, it’s also about the integrity of the case.

“Although there is only a subtle difference between the two jurisdictions, I’m inclined to go with a precautionary approach.”

He said Hinks could make a new application to vary her bail if there were any changes in the other court process.

Mr O’Loughlin said he would not give a sentencing indication as evidence about the 35-year-old mother’s mental health had not been presented to the court.

“I don’t feel comfortable with giving a sentencing indication in the absence of this evidence,” he said.

According to the NT Criminal Code Act, the maximum penalty for an adult found guilty of abducting a child under the age of 14 is seven years in prison.

Hinks will return to court on January 25 for a directions hearing.

Originally published as Grace Hughes’s mother Laura Hinks varies bail to contact alleged kidnapping victim