A man failed to turn up for his plea hearing – as he was having eye surgery.
Oxford Crown Court heard Simon Maclellan had been at Northwick Park hospital, Harrow, when he was due before Judge Michael Gledhill QC at the start of December for a plea and trial preparation hearing.
The 40-year-old has been charged with smuggling a mobile phone, cannabis and a synthetic cannabis-like drug into HMP Bullingdon, near Bicester, on November 16 last year.
Maclellan, of Redlands Lane, Fareham, was arrested on the court warrant issued by Judge Gledhill and put before Judge Ian Pringle QC this week.
He was too ill to appear in court in person and not guilty pleas were entered in his absence by Bethan Chichester.
The alleged prison smuggler was bailed to return to court on March 28 for his trial.
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