Blackpool: From the courts 20/06/17

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

Craig Carter, 47, theft

A thief stole cash from a woman he had known only a few days.

Craig Carter was asked by the woman to look after a bank bag containing £200 cash for a few minutes but he took off and bought drugs for himself.

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Carter, 47, of Sherbourne Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was sentenced to eight weeks in jail, suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay £200 compensation to his victim.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said the woman went to a bank on May 22, with Carter, who she had only known for a few days.

She withdrew £200 and asked Carter to hold the money for a short while.

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Carter said he was going to a nearby Tesco to get some cigarettes.

He failed to return and after 10 minutes the woman went to the shop to find him. Staff said Carter had not been in.

Carter had been sentenced to four years prison in 2014 for house burglary and theft and was on licence at the time of the offence.

He had been recalled on that licence and would have to serve 28 days in jail.

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Allan Cobain, defending, said his client had had his benefits suspended some days before the offence.

He had gone to Tesco but there was a queue and on the spur of the moment he decided to go and buy some drugs.

Mr Cobain added: “Once he came out of his drugs stupor he felt so embarrassed and ashamed that he stayed out of the way.”

Stewart Currie, 31, breach of community order

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A man failed to comply with any of the conditions of a court order imposed on him by magistrates.

Stewart Currie had gone off the rails and returned to using drugs after a housemate died.

Currie, 31, formerly of Entwistle Street, Darwen, now living at Oban Drive, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to breaching a community order and was fined £200.

Eleanor Cordwell, prosecuting for the probation service, said Currie had been sentenced in January this year to a 12 month community order with 29 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service and nine months drug rehabilitation for offences of production of cannabis and abstracting electricity.

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Ms Cordwell added: “There was no compliance with the order.”

Steven Townley, defending, said: “He had been off drugs for seven years. A friend he had been living with then passed away. He took it very hard and went back on drugs.”

Sean Docherty, 25, assault

A man has made his first appearance accused of throwing a teacup at his girlfriend and cutting her elbow when they were staying at a Blackpool hotel.

Sean Docherty is also alleged to grabbed the mother of his child by the throat as she lay on a bed at the hotel and pushed her head against the wall.

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Docherty, 25, of Station Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, pleaded not guilty to assault.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, opposed bail for the defendant.

Docherty was refused bail and remanded in custody towards his trial on August 4.

John Murray, 36, producing cannabis

A man accused of having a cannabis factory in a Blackpool house which contained drugs with a street value of £76,000 has made his first appearance at court.

John Murray, 36, of Elder Way, Rainham, Essex, pleaded not guilty to the production of cannabis at a property in Caunce Street in January 2015.

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He also denied being concerned in the supply of drugs in the resort.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, asked for the case to be sent to crown court.

Murray was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on July 19.

He must live at his given address and report three times a week to police as conditions of his bail.

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Michael Cleary, 69, possession of extreme pornography, making indecent images of children

A pensioner has made his first appearance at court accused of possessing extreme pornography which featured an act which threatened a person’s life.

Michael Cleary, 69, of Harrowside, South Shore, also faces two offences of making indecent pictures of a child - some at the highest level of indecency.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between May 2000 and April last year at Blackpool.

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Prosecutor, Pam Smith, asked for the case to be heard at crown court.

Defence lawyer, Allan Cobain, said his client would not indicate pleas to the offences at that stage.

Cleary was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on July 19.

He must not have any contact, except for fleeting or inadvertent contact, with anyone under the age of 18.

Paul Fitton, 36, theft

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A man who had both drink and drug problems stole on three occasions to fund his habit.

Paul Fitton, 36, of Hornby Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to three offences of theft.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, put on a six months alcohol rehabilitation course and ordered to pay £20 compensation plus £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Fitton stole a bottle or wine from Sainsburys, Whitegate Drive, April 24 about 9pm.

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An hour-and-a-half later he returned to the same shop and took a bottle of wine and a milkshake.

On May 8 he was caught after stealing three electric toothbrushes from Boots. He had previously been sentenced to 32 months for an offence of burglary.

He had been released but was currently in jail having been recalled to prison for 28 days.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, said her client was a registered alcoholic who had been taking drugs.

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Since being recalled to prison he had been put on a detoxification course and said he was glad to be on it.

James McKinlay, 36, assault

A man accused of repeatedly stamping on a woman’s head causing a bleed on her brain has made his first appearance at court.

Jamie McKinlay, 36, of General Street, North Shore, is charged with maliciously wounding the woman with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm.

The offence is alleged to have taken place on Saturday at Blackpool.

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Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, said the case must be heard at crown court.

Defence lawyer, Brett Chappell, did not ask for bail for his client.

McKinlay was remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on July 19 by District Judge Steven Jonas.