AN ADDICT risks spending ‘a significant period of her life in prison’ unless she sorts out her drug habit, a judge said.

Judge Nigel Daly had been preparing to sentence Claire Reid in her absence on Wednesday after the 28-year-old apparently refused to leave her cell at Eastwood Park prison.

She appeared over the video link later in the day, telling the judge she was keen to speak to the probation service for a pre-sentence report – despite refusing to do so when she turned up late to court and remanded in custody on Tuesday.

Judge Daly said: “From what I’ve seen of this young lady and her previous convictions and her behaviour this is a young lady who’s going to find if she doesn’t do anything about her drug addiction she is going to spend a significant period of the rest of her life in prison.”

Adjourning the case for four weeks for a pre-sentence report to be written, he added: “This really is her last opportunity to do something about it.”

Reid pleaded guilty at the magistrates’ court in August to causing actual bodily harm and possession of a knife in Blackbird Leys Road, Oxford, on May 11.

She was bailed to live and sleep at a hostel in Southampton, but hadn’t been seen by staff in more than a month.

Earlier this week, the crown court heard Reid had returned to Banbury, where she had family, and had got a prescription for class A drugs substitute methadone from addiction charity Turning Point. She was still using illegal drugs and had been seen by staff at the town’s needle exchange.

Judge Daly remanded Reid into custody to return to court next month.