Darwin Correction Centre denies Crystal Deanne Roberts access to mums and bubs unit

A pregnant woman will be forced induce early and give up her child by Mother’s Day after being denied access to a specialty mums and bubs unit in Darwin prison.

Barrister Koulla Roussos told Darwin Local Court the heavily pregnant woman was being induced on May 12, nine days before her due date. Picture: iStock

A woman is being forced against her will to give birth early and surrender her baby because of conditions inside Darwin prison, a court has heard.

Crystal Deanne Roberts let her hands rest on the baby bump underneath her orange prison uniform as she appeared before Judge Richard Wallace.

The 31-year-old expectant mother was silent during a bail application on Monday, as her defence team fought against a medical intervention they described as “barbaric”.

Barrister Koulla Roussos told Darwin Local Court the heavily pregnant woman was being induced on May 12, nine days before her due date.

“She is being induced, and involuntarily,” Ms Roussos said.

“The inducement is because of prison management issues.

“Given the prison staffing issues and rostering and whatnot, they are planning to induce her.

“She has been told she will not be able to keep her infant.”

Despite having a dedicated purpose-built 10-bed mums and bubs unit at the Holtze prison, Corrections confirmed that Roberts had been denied access to the facility.

Prosecutor Damien Jones also said the jail had told Roberts that her child would be removed from her, but she would “still have visitation rights”.

Despite having a dedicated purpose-built 10-bed mums and bubs unit at the Holtze prison, Corrections confirmed that Roberts had been denied access to the facility.

It is understood another woman at Darwin Correctional Centre had her child taken away from her within 72-hours of giving birth.

Corrections confirmed it had denied the two women access to the mums and bubs unit, despite no expectant or new mothers using the wing in the past 15 months.

A Department spokesman said “where possible” the prisons supported women to care for their children in the mother and child unit.

“It is not an automatic decision that babies will be accommodated with their mothers who are in custody,” he said.

“The General Manager will consider a range of factors in the assessment, including the safety and security of the facility.”

Corrections said 88 women were held in the women’s wing in Holtze prison on Friday, despite only being designed for 80 people.

Northern Territory Lived Experience Network advocate Rocket Bretherton said the pregnant prisoner was told she would be forced to give up her child on Mother’s Day. Picture (A)manda Parkinson

Northern Territory Lived Experience Network advocate Rocket Bretherton said the pregnant prisoner was told she would be forced to give up her child on Mother’s Day.

“How would you feel, after being pregnant for nine months carrying a child inside you, and then having to hand it over in hospital 72 hours after giving birth?” Ms Bretherton asked.

“How would that make any mother feel?

“That baby has done nothing wrong.”

Ms Bretherton said while visitation had been promised to Roberts, due to access issues for the family it would mean just one 40 minute visit per fortnight.

In the Darwin Local Court on Monday, Ms Roussos proposed a strict bail plan “in effect, home detention”, which included electronic monitoring and police and corrections supervision.

“We rely on the primacy of a mother having contact with and bonding with her infant child,” she said.

“Because not only will it have an impact on her, but also the child in those first crucial months.”

Ms Roussos pushed for a bail hearing on Wednesday, two days before her client was booked for the forced delivery.

She said strict bail would allow them to bond, provide intimacy and breastfeed her child.

Ms Roussos pushed for a bail hearing on Wednesday, two days before her client was booked for the forced delivery.

But Mr Jones said prosecution would oppose any bail — even knowing it would separate her from her newborn — due to the serious charges and alleged “strong links to the Mongols”.

Mr Jones said her alleged co-offenders included the president of the Mongols, his second in command and her charges related to multiple shipments of methamphetamines into the Territory.

Roberts was charged in March with supplying a commercial quantity of drugs, escape from lawful custody, and possession of a trafficable quantity of drugs.

She also faces allegations of failing to obey a police officer’s direction, dangerous and careless driving, failure to report a crash and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Her case was adjourned to Wednesday, where she will appear via video link for a preliminary examination mention with the possibility of a bail hearing.

But Mr Wallace was sceptical such a complex bail arrangement could be assessed in that time.

Defence lawyer Robert Welfare said it was a breach of her human rights to force her to give birth early “so it fits in with their program”. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Outside the court her instructing solicitor Robert Welfare said it was a breach of her human rights to force her to give birth early “so it fits in with their program”.

“A fundamental human right is control over your body,” Mr Welfare said.

“We’re becoming rather barbaric.

“The Territory is citing operational reasons of a prison to induce children into the world.

“The prisons are full, they’re overcrowded. The prison is supporting the bail application because they don’t want to deal with these horrible situations.”

The NT Ombudsman said it was aware of the incident, but the court heard it had not yet been able to investigate the matter.

A spokeswoman for the office of the Ombudsman said due to confidentiality and privacy provisions details of the case could not be discussed.