Woman denies smuggling drugs to inmate partner

A woman accused of smuggling cannabis oil into prison for her partner, the man convicted of killing police officer Derek Wootton, has denied possessing drugs for supply.

Judianne Trinnette Tito, 27, appeared in Upper Hutt District Court today. She pleaded not guilty to possessing cannabis oil for supply but has not yet entered a plea on a charge of taking a prohibited substance into a prison.

She pleaded guilty to breaching bail and was convicted and discharged on that charge.

Judge Chris Tuohy remanded Tito on bail, to appear at a depositions hearing on July 2.

Rimutaka Prison guards allegedly caught Tito trying to pass cannabis to Andrew Popo, 33, on March 17, three weeks before he pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Wootton, killed as he laid road spikes in Porirua last July 11 in an attempt to stop Popo, who was fleeing police in a stolen car.

Popo will be sentenced next month.

Prison staff allegedly seized what appeared to be two capsules of cannabis oil from Tito.

The police prosecutor told the court Tito managed to get past the prison checks and was able to hand the oil to the prisoner.

- NZPA