Blackpool: From the courts 01-03-17

Mother, 39, failing to ensure a child’s regular attendance at school

A mother made a rude remark to a pupil welfare officer speaking to her about her 12-year-old son’s truancy from school.

The mum made the remark to the male officer after getting a warning letter about her son’s absences from Blackpool’s Aspire Academy.

She had also previously slammed a door in the officer’s face saying: “I don’t like or trust you.”

The 39-year-old defendant, from Blackpool, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was found guilty of failing to ensure a child’s regular attendance at school after a trial in her absence.

She had a previous conviction for allowing her son to play truant last year.

The mother was sentenced to a 12 months conditional discharge with up to 25 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work for the community and told to pay £120 costs plus £85 victims’ surcharge by district Judge Jeff Brailsford.

Nicola Morgan, prosecuting for Blackpool Council, said the defendant’s son had attended his school 84 out of a possible 134 occasions and his attendance rate was 59.7 percent.

Ms Morgan said the defendant had called the pupil welfare officer’s office, shouted and sworn at him and made the rude remark.

The officer said she had told him that if she decided not to send her son to school she would not.

In a report to the court, probation officer Brian Weatherington said the defendant did acknowledge she had a difficult relationship with the pupil welfare officer.

The defendant was on medication for post traumatic stress disorder but sometimes did not take it as she directed because it made her drowsy. Stephen Duffy, defending, said his client had presumed she did not have to attend the previous court hearing as she had provided medical evidence to the school. She had been arrested and spent 20 hours in custody.

Here is a round-up of some of Tuesday’s cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court 28-02-17

Alexander Dwyer, 27, fraud

Medication a former accountant was taking for a brain tumour turned him into a criminal, a court was told.

The drug Alexander Dwyer was using to combat a benign pituitary tumour had a side effect of inducing compulsive behaviour.

He became addicted to gambling, lost his job and home, and started conning people out of money via the Internet.

People ordered goods such as computers and phones from Dwyer over the Gumtree site but he kept their money to gamble with and they did not received the items.

Dwyer, 27, of Heathfield Road, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to five offences of fraud.

He was sentenced to a 12 month community order with up to 15 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, plus a 10 weeks curfew from 9pm to 6am and told to pay £468 compensation, £200 costs and £85 victims’ surcharge.

In a report to the court, probation officer Lesley Whittaker, said Dwyer started to suffer loss of his vision and headaches and in 2010 was diagnosed with a benign pituitary tumour.

He was prescribed a drug by his consultant who said he should take as much of it as he could tolerate.

Ms Whittaker said: “A specialist has now confirmed that a side-effect of that drug is compulsive behaviour. “Dwyer started binge eating and gambling online. As a result of the gambling he lost his job, his flat, had cars repossessed and was in £27,000 of debt.”

Dwyer, who had been blocked on e-Bay and PayPal, started offering goods for sale on Gumtree, but did not send the goods after people paid him.

Dwyer had now been advised to stop taking that medication by his specialist because there were other drugs available for his condition and he had stopped gambling.

Stephen Duffy, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had found himself in extremely difficult circumstances.

Mark Barden, 30, dangerous driving

A man accused of driving at his alleged victim and then reversing the car to hit the man again has made his first appearance at court.

Mark Barden, 30, of Kirkdale Avenue, St Annes, is charged with dangerous driving on St Alban’s Road, St Annes, during which he inflicted serious injuries on his victim.

Barden is also accused of taking a VWGolf car without permission and driving without insurance or a full licence.

Magistrates bailed Barden to an address in South Shore.

He must not enter St Annes under the terms of his bail and have no contact with three prosecution witnesses.

Kevin Walters, 45, breach of the peace

A recording of a man making threats was played to police when they arrived at a Kirkham address.

Kevin Walters, 45, of Church View, Orders Lane, Kirkham, pleaded guilty to breach of the peace and was bound over in the sum of £100 for 12 months.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police were called to Walters home on February 26. Walters, who had been drinking, was agitated and an officer spoke to his partner.

Police were played a recording of Walters making threats to people at the address.

He was asked to leave but said if he did he would come back.

Walters said he had been trying to discipline a relative he believed was hanging around with gangs and there was an argument.

John Palfrey, 45, breach of a supervision order

A man breached his post prison supervision by missing two appointments with his probation officer.

John Palfrey, 45, of Windsor Avenue, South Shore, pleaded guilty to breaching supervision.

He was sentenced to 14 days in jail.

Emma Foster, 49, malicious wounding causing grievous bodily harm

A wife accused of stabbing her husband and scalding him with water from a kettle has made her first appearance at court.

Emma Foster is alleged to have stabbed her husband three times in the arm with a kitchen knife at their home.

Foster, a 49-year-old mother-of-three, of Wensleydale Avenue, Grange Park, is charged with malicious wounding causing grievous bodily harm on February 25.

She is also accused of assaulting her husband with a crowbar on another occasion.

Foster was remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on March 29.