A HOMELESS man charged with child abduction failed to attend court because he was ‘still asleep in bed’ at a Worcester hostel.

Stephen Grant who has a care of address of St Paul’s Hostel, Tallow Hill, Worcester was due to be sentenced on Tuesday for child abduction.

However, when his solicitor called him on Tuesday morning to find out what he was not at Worcester Crown Court the reception manager told him his client was still in bed.

The 27-year-old did not attend the hearing before Judge Martin Jackson who said the defendant's failure to answer his bail was 'not encouraging'.

Jason Patel, defending, said his application was to adjourn in any case because he is in contact with an expert who is due to provide a psychological report on the defendant to assist with sentencing.

No details of the case were discussed in open court but the judge described it as a ‘serious charge’.

Mr Patel said of the psychological report: “I have managed to get someone and have managed to get some funding towards it. She is instructed. She has just emailed to say it can be done by September. My application is one to adjourn.”

Mr Patel said of his client: “The reality is that I spoke to him this weekend. I asked him to be here at 9.30am. I called the hostel at 9.25am (this morning) and St Paul’s is not far away. The hostel reception manager said he was still there in his room.”

Judge Jackson said: “It’s not encouraging for Mr Grant if he can’t get himself down the road to here.”

Mr Patel said he had spoken to his client at the weekend and Grant was aware there would be an application to adjourn but added: “That’s not an excuse.”

Siobhan Collins, prosecuting, said: “He’s heavily convicted. Given he has maintained contact (with his solicitor) maybe a bench warrant backed for bail in the first instance?”

Judge Jackson said: “He needs to be here – even if it’s an application to adjourn. It’s not encouraging if he’s still in bed at 25 past nine. He needs to answer his bail even if nothing is happening.”

Mr Patel said he would ring St Paul’s again at the end of the hearing and ‘tell him to get himself here’.

The judge described the child who was abducted as ‘very troubled’.

The case was adjourned until Thursday, October 15 for a sentencing hearing.

The judge said if the defendant did not present himself to the court by 4.30pm that day a warrant not backed for bail would be issued.