Blackpool: From the courts 14-03-17

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

A callous thief stole a paramedic’s handbag from an ambulance while she was tending to a sick patient.

Mark Turner then tried to pretend he had found items from the medic’s bag in the street and was on his way to the police station to hand them in when he was arrested.

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Turner, 31, of Central Drive, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to theft of a bag containing £40 cash, a purse, two bank cards and a driving licence.

At the time of the offence he was on post prison supervision and had three community orders from courts for offences of burglary and theft.

He was sentenced to a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay £100 compensation by District Judge David Murray.

The judge told him: “This was a particularly mean offence on someone carrying out their public duty looking after someone who was ill.”

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Prosecutor, Glenn Anderton, said a woman paramedic and her colleague had been called to an address on Central Drive on Sunday March 12 about 10am, and gone inside to treat a patient.

A witness saw Turner go the driver’s door of the ambulance and take out a multi-coloured canvas bag.

The witness followed him and alerted police.

Turner had a record of 67 previous offences 28 of these for dishonestly.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, said alcohol was at the root of Turner’s offending.

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The night before the offence he had been drinking before returning home at 7am and sleeping for only a couple of hours.

He then decided to take a walk into town, came across the ambulance, climbed into the driver’s seat, saw the bag and took it on the spur of the moment.

Turner had been under the influence of alcohol at the time.

Neal Brookes, for the probation service, said Turner was currently on several community orders.

He had been sentenced to a total of 240 hours unpaid work for the community but had done just 28-and-a-half hours of that work and at times had not co-operated with the probation service.

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Craig Wallbank, 61, drink-driving

A drink-driver danced about in front of his car in a Blackpool car park as a police patrol looked on.

Craig Wallbank then got behind the wheel but could not find his way out of the car park and when an officer pulled him over he said to him: “You only stopped me because I was acting daft.”

Wallbank, a 61-year-old gas engineer, of Wordsworth Road, Accrington, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

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He was banned from the road for 12 months and fined £100 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, said a police patrol parked in the resort’s large Rigby Road car park saw Wallbank in a Cheverolet Spark going through the drive-in at McDonalds on February 19 about 1.30am.

He then parked up and started dancing in front of his car while women passengers in the vehicle laughed at him.

Wallbank got in a drove off but appeared not to be able to find his way out of the car park.

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When police arrived Wallbank accused the officer of only stopping him because he had been daft, but the officer pointed out he was concerned Wallbank seemed not to be able to get out of the car park, which was empty. A breath test showed 46 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 35 is the limit.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said Wallbank had been visiting friends. He had had one glass of wine at home and then much later two glasses of wine with friends.

When they all decided to get something to eat he drove because he believed as he had not drunk alcohol for some time he was safe to drive.

Mr Nelligan added: “He was so sure he was under the limit he did a jog in front of the officer and his lady friends.

“He made a serious misjudgement.”

Aaran Black, 24, rape

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A man has made his first appearance at court charged with raping a teenage girl.

Aaran Black, 24, of Commonside, Ansdell, faces five allegations of raping a 15-year-old girl.

Magistrates sent Black for trial at Preston Crown Court.

He will appear at the higher court on March 22. Black was bailed.

Daniel Dugdale, 24, drug-driving

A Blackpool man has admitted drug driving.

Daniel Dugdale was at the wheel of his Ford Focus when police attention was drawn to the vehicle which did not have its rear lights on as it pulled away from a parking spot.

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Malcolm Isherwood,prosecuting, said police pulled up the car and tested the 24-year-old driver for drugs.

The test proved positive for cannabis and Dugdale of South Square, North Shore, was arrested.

He was fined £250 and ordered to pay £115 court costs.

Stuart Hilton, 43, theft

Magistrates issued a warrant for the arrest of a 43-year-old Blackpool man who failed to turn up at court.

Stuart Hilton of Coop Street faces four allegations of shoplifting.

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He is said to have stolen meat from Marks and Spencer valued at £70.

He also faces a charge of stealing 50 pairs of socks from TK Maxx worth £229 and jackets from the same store valued at £420.

Dalbir Sandhu, 32, assault and threatening behaviour

A man accused of assaulting a former girlfriend and threatening to slit her throat has made his first appearance at court.

Dalbir Sandhu, of Beach Road, Cleveleys, pleaded not guilty to assault and threatening behaviour.

His case was adjourned to fix a trial date by magistrates.

Tim Brooks, 22, breach of a restraining order

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A man accused of breaking the law by speaking to a former girlfriend as she sat in a car with her father on the resort’s Laburnum Street has appeared at court.

Tim Brooks, 22, of Dawlish Avenue, Grange Park, pleaded not guilty to breaching a restraining order on March 11.

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, said the case was suitable to be tried at a magistrates court. Defence lawyer, Steven Townley, asked for bail for his client.

Brooks was bailed to April 19 for trial by magistrates. He must not contact his ex or his father of enter the resort’s Laburnum Street as a conditional of his bail.