A JUDGE said he was ‘absolutely staggered’ why a drug dealer was granted bail as he issued a warrant for her arrest.

Judge Ian Pringle stated his disbelief that Teresa King had been granted bail by Oxford Magistrates’ Court, after she had failed to attend court on a previous occasion.

The judge issued a warrant at Oxford Crown Court yesterday for King, who was listed to be sentenced for drugs offences.

The 39-year-old defendant, of Divinity Road, Oxford, was due to be sentenced for two offences of supplying crack cocaine on June 29 and September 21 last year.

She was also due to face justice for a further offence of supplying heroin, also on September 21 last year.

Defence barrister Peter Du Feu told the court how King had been granted bail at her ‘appearance at the magistrates’ court’.

Judge Pringle replied to Mr Du Feu, saying he was ‘absolutely staggered’ by the decision.

The judge added the defendant had turned up the magistrates’ court on Saturday where she was given bail.

Mr De Feu said: “The excuse she made is that she got the dates confused.

“Unfortunately, she had not been keeping up on her post sentence supervision. We have tried telephone numbers we had and had no success.”