Blackpool: From the courts 16-03-17

Paul Ellerker, 29, breach of restraining order

A judge has commended two witnesses who intervened after seeing a man assaulting his girlfriend in a phone box.

Paul Ellerker, who had a criminal record for violence, was spotted grabbing his partner by the hair, dragging her into a phone box and trying to smash her head into the wall.

Ellerker, 29, formerly of Ash Avenue, Kirkham, now living in a hostel in Gorton Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to two offences of breaching a restraining order

He was sentenced to 26 weeks jail and ordered to pay £115 victims’ surcharge by District Judge David Murray.

The judge said: “I would commend the witnesses. I would like the message to get back to them that their actions were brave.”

Prosecutor, Sarah Perkins, said Ellerker was put on a two year restraining order in December 2015, which banned him from contacting his girlfriend except through a solicitor about child care.

On November last year Ellerker was reported missing and police inquiries showed CCTV of him going into a bank with his girlfriend.

On March 17 Ellerker was seen dragging his partner into a phone box by her hair and try to hit her head on the walls, before chasing her along Withnell Road.

A woman and man who saw what was happening intervened and told him to stop.

Ellerker’s partner did not make a complaint to police.

Gerry Coyle, defending, said Ellerker had gone to prison for assaulting his partner but when he came out he got a job, went to the gym and was drug free.

He then got a Facebook message from his partner saying she was homeless, using drugs and needed help.

He helped her but ended up losing his job and using class A drugs himself.

When he and his girlfriend were seen going into a bank he was going to get money for her.

In March, Ellerker said he was woken by his partner throwing batteries at him.

He dragged his girlfriend, who was now in prison for drug-related offences, to a phone box and told her to call the police which she did.

Here is a round-up of some of Wednesday’s cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court 15-03-17

Gordon Forrest, 44, making threats

A man accused of stalking and threatening his estranged wife has made his first appearance at court.

Gordon Forrest is alleged to have made a threatening FaceTime call from abroad to her, made unwanted phone calls and sent texts and smashed a window at her home in Poulton.

Forrest, a 44-year-old father-of-three, of Blackpool Road, Carleton, pleaded not guilty to harassing his estranged wife between January 13 and 26 this year.

He was bailed to June 14 for trial by District Judge Murray.

Forrest must not contact the complainant or go within 50 metres of her home in Breck Road.

Matthew Ainsworth, 32, breach of a restraining order

A man was found hiding under a bed and arrested after illegally being in St Annes.

Matthew Ainsworth, a 23-year-old shop fitter, formerly of Blackpool but now of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two offences of breaching a restraining order.

He was sentenced to 14 weeks jail, suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay £115 victims’ surcharge by District Judge Murray.

The judge refused an application to change the restraining order Ainsworth was on to enable him to go to St Annes to see his new girlfriend, after hearing his former partner opposed the order being altered.

Prosecutor, Glenn Anderton, said Ainsworth had been convicted of domestic violence against his previous girlfriend and been put on a restraining order which banned him from entering The Fylde.

On March 9 at 11.45pm Ainsworth’s ex saw him on Kilnhouse Lane, St Annes, and reported it to police. The following day officers went to an address on Kilnhouse Lane and while searching for Ainsworth saw his arm sticking out from under a bed.

He had a previous conviction for breaching the restraining order.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said Ainsworth had previously applied to vary the restraining order so he could visit his new girlfriend who lived in St Annes, but the case had not gone ahead because of lack of court time. The prosecutor opposed terms of the restraining order being altered saying Ainsworth’s ex, a mother-of-four, was extremely opposed to it being changed.

Robert Heslop, 20, making threats

A man has pleaded not guilty to threatening violence with the purpose of entering an address on Marton’s Kumara Crescent.

Robert Heslop, 20, of Garstang Road, Pilling, was bailed to May 12 for trial.

Kate Enfield, 38, theft

A woman had her purse stolen by a fellow patient at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Kate Enfield pretended to befriend a bed bound woman recovering from an operation in a side ward.

But it was a ruse to get the purse from the victim’s handbag and steal its contents, a £10 note and some coins.

Pam Smith,prosecuting, said the purse was later found in a bin near the hospital chapel.

Images on CCTV revealed that Enfield, 38, of Gorton Street was the thief.

She pleaded guilty to theft and magistrates asked for pre sentence reports on her.

Natalie Stitt, 27, benefits fraud

A woman accused of benefit fraud involving £2,000 has been put on the wanted list.

Natalie Stitt, 27, of Hawes Side Lane, Marton, is accused of illegally claiming income support by dishonestly failing to disclose she was working.

She failed to attend court and a warrant for her arrest was issued.

Mark Rushton, 25, drunk and disorderly

A man with an anger management problem was arrested after acting aggressively outside a Poulton bar.

Mark Rushton, 25, of Riversway, Layton, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

He was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 costs with £20 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police arrested Rushton after midnight on February 25 after seeing him aggressively waving his arms about and shouting outside The Cube bar. Rushton told magistrates there had been an incident in The Cube which he had walked away from. A male had then thrown a punch at him which made him angry.

He added that he was seeing a specialist who was helping him with his anger management problem.