Blackpool: From the courts 02-08-17

Here is the latest round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court.
Blackpool Magistrates' CourtBlackpool Magistrates' Court
Blackpool Magistrates' Court

Stephen Blackburn, 26, breach of community order

A man failed to keep to any of the curfew he had been sentenced to by a court for drug possession.

Officials tried repeatedly to fit a tag to Stephen Blackburn but he was never at the address he previously gave to the court.

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Blackburn, 26, formerly of Crystal Road, South Shore, now living at Irvine Terrace, New Ferry, Wirral, pleaded guilty to breaching a community order.

He was sentenced to a 10 weeks tagged curfew from 7pm to 6am.

Angela Brooks, prosecuting for the probation service, said Blackburn had previously been sentenced to a six weeks curfew from 7pm to 7am for drug possession.

Officials went round repeatedly to the resort’s Crystal Road address he had given but he was never there and did not answer any of the letters they left.

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Leisa Splaine, defending, said her client had gone back to his Blackpool address and found his landlady had evicted him and his belongings were on the street.

Blackburn was homeless for about one-and-a-half months then went to live with his brother at his current address. He admitted he did not notify the authorities about his problems with accommodation.

He had been arrested in Merseyside and spent a night in the cells before coming to court.

Gurnaik Sangha, 48, failing to provide a specimen of breath

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A champion charity fund raiser was stopped by police after he was seen driving erratically.

Gurnaik Sangha, 48, of Beeston Avenue, Poulton, who works in sales, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath specimen for alcohol testing.

He was banned from the road for 12 months and fined £120 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a police patrol stopped Sangha on July 1 at 12.20am, after seeing him driving a Vauxhall Insignia erratically on Fleetwood Road North, Thornton.

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Sangha said it had been three hours since his last drink. He failed to provide the required breath sample for alcohol testing. An officer said he made little or no effort to provide a sample.

David Charnley, defending, told magistrates that his client, who had a previously impeccable character, felt he had blown as hard as he could into the breathalyser machine and was upset and embarrassed when he failed to provide a sample.

Mr Charnley added: “He is a man of positive character who has raised possibly hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity.”

David McHugh, 37, drink-driving, theft and bail offences

A Blackpool man has admitted drink driving in a Welsh seaside resort.

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David McHugh, 37, of Lytham Road, South Shore was over the limit when he was caught by police at the wheel of his Ford car.

Blackpool magistrates heard that McHugh was in Llandudno when he failed to negotiate a corner at about 11 pm and hit a road sign.

McHugh also dmitted shoplifting at the Blackpool ASDA store where he took £134 worth of alcohol.

He also admitted two bail act offences. Magistrates ordered pre sentence reports.

Stephen Staten, 57, possessing a blade in public

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A man was armed with a knife when he went looking for someone he believed had stolen his dog.

Stephen Staten confronted the man he believed was the culprit in a busy street in Blackpool town centre at midday and pulled out the weapon.

Staten, 57 of Claremont Court, North Shore, pleaded guilty to possessing a blade in public.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police received a tip-off a man was carrying a knife in Queen Street on June 23 at noon.

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An officer saw Staten with a knife handle protruding from his sleeve. It was a lock-knife with a two-and-a-half inch blade.

When interviewed, Staten said his dog had been stolen by men he knew. He believed one of the men frequented Queen Street and he went there with the intention of confronting him.

He said he took the knife for protection.

At the time of the offence Staten was on a suspended prison sentence.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, said there was no suggestion Staten waved the knife around. He had no similar offences on his record and the offence was out of character.

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Staten was bailed to appear for sentence at Preston Crown Court on August 30.

Jean Minto, 65, drin-driving

A pensioner crashed into the rear of a motorbike which had stopped at lights in Poulton.

Jean Minto, 65, of Broadwater Caravan Park, Broadwater Road, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She was disqualified from driving for 20 months and fined £150 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge.

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Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police were called to an accident on July 2 about 9pm, where Minto’s Fiat Panda had crashed into the back of a motorbike which had stopped at the junction of Shard Road and Mains Lane.

She said she had been returning her partner, who has dementia, to a care home. A breath test showed 88 micrograms of alcohol in her body - 35 is the limit.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, said her client, who had no previous convictions, did not drink, but had had some sherry at a friend’s and did not think she was over the limit.

Mary Duffy, 42, burglary

A woman accused of burglary has been put on the wanted list.

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Mary Duffy, 42, of North Church Street, Fleetwood, is alleged to have stolen a £300 television in a break-in at an address on Rhyl Street, Fleetwood.

A warrant without bail was issued for her arrest.

Marc Mortimer, 57, two counts of assaulting a police officer and resisting a police officer

A man accused of assaulting a police officer causing him actual bodily harm by possibly breaking his nose has made his first appearance at court.

Marc Mortimer, 57, of Smith Street, Kirkham, is also charged with assaulting another constable and resisting a police officer at Wrea Green on July 1.

His case was adjourned for medical inquiries.

Alex Fletcher, 20, criminal damage

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A man accused of damaging a stone lion statue in Blackpool missed the first hearing of his court case because he was out of the country.

Alex Fletcher, 20, of Cambridge Road, Blackpool, is alleged to have caused £280 of damage to property including the lion, a stone slab and a door.

His case was adjourned to a later date.