A WOMAN with a banana allergy suffered a cardiac arrest in prison after inmates bombarded her cell with the fruit, a court has heard.
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Rebecca Ford, 25, also had a miscarriage after experiencing an ectopic pregnancy while serving 54 days in the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre for a string of dangerous driving offences.
“It’s like putting weapons in the hands of inmates"
- Defence lawyer Amanda Hurst
Ford’s defence lawyer Amanda Hurst told The Courier she couldn’t believe a sign had been put on Ford’s cell alerting inmates to her allergy.
“It’s like putting weapons in the hands of inmates,” she said.
Department of Justice spokeswoman Libby Rule said a prisoner with a life-threatening allergy would have to agree to have medical information made available to staff and prisoners.
Ford, of Wendouree, appeared at the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Monday for sentencing after pleading guilty in October to a number of charges, including dangerous driving while under police pursuit, driving while disqualified and theft of a motor vehicle.
Ms Hurst told the court after being notified of Ford’s allergy, inmates proceeded to hide bananas in her living quarters.
The court heard on one occasion, Ford suffered a cardiac arrest after reacting to the fruit and was transported to hospital.
“She’s found it (prison life) very difficult to deal with ... she needs to be released as soon as possible,” Ms Hurst said.
Ms Hurst said her client also suffered from an acquired brain injury after being kicked in the head during a car-jacking in 2013.
Magistrate Cynthia Toose was aghast that a young woman with no prior convictions would come before the court on such serious charges.
“Something was going on with you and I don’t know what it was,” Ms Toose said.
In evading police in October, Ford reached speeds of 200km/h on the Western Freeway and 170km/h in more built-up areas.
Ms Toose sentenced Ford to 54 days in prison for the dangerous driving while under police pursuit, which have been served.
Ford was placed on a community corrections order for 18 months for the theft charges and also had her driver’s licence suspended for 12 months.