Blackpool: From the courts 28-07-17

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

Tracey Simmonds, 42, driving without insurance, not in accordance with her learner’s licence and breaching a conditional discharge

A commercial pilot saw a woman driving erratically round the car park of a Blackpool hotel.

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Tracey Simmonds was then spotted stumbling towards a van by the pilot who said he would not have allowed her on an aircraft in that state.

Simmonds, 42, of Osborne Road, South Shore, denied failing to provide a specimen but was found guilty of the offence following a trial.

She admitted driving without insurance, not in accordance with her learner’s licence and breaching a conditional discharge.

Simmonds was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, ordered to do six months drug rehabilitation, banned from driving for two years and fined £50 with £125 costs plus £85 victims’ surcharge.

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Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said a pilot in the foyer of the Travel Lodge, Seasiders Way, saw Simmonds driving an Audi A6 erratically in the car park on November 13 at 11.30pm.

She kept slowing and stopping and in trying to park was going backwards and forwards and sounding the horn.

Simmonds was so unsteady when she got out she had to grab onto the car and then she stumbled across the car park.

Police arrived and a breath test for alcohol was negative but an officer believed she was under the influence of a substance.

A doctor examined her and described her as impaired.

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She was asked for a urine specimen to test for substances but would not give one saying she was suffering from an infection.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, said Simmonds had had drug issues but had kept off drugs now for three months and applied to go to college.

Lee Gibson, 40, behaving in a threatening manner

A man who was nude from the waist up was arrested by police after shouting and swearing in the street.

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Lee Gibson, 40, of Stork Close, Cleveleys, pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening manner.

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

Presiding magistrate, Mark Cottriall, told him: “Your behaviour was unacceptable and caused alarm and distressed.”

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police received a report people were fighting in General Street on June 24 at 4.10pm.

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Gibson was topless in the street and members of the public were pointing at him as he offered to fight another man.

Mitch Sarangi, defending, said Gibson had kept out of trouble after being released from prison a couple of years ago.

Much of his offending had been prompted by drugs and his use of them had left him with mental health problems. He was now on medication and on a waiting list to see a psychiatrist.

Jonathan Glossop, 28, damage

The owner of a fence saw a man punch a panel in it as he ran from the police.

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Jonathan Glossop, 28, of Mount Street, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to causing damage.

He was given a three months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £30 compensation.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police went to the report of an incident in Warren Grove, Anchorsholme on June 4 in the early hours.

Glossop was seen causing £30 of damage to a fence panel by hitting it as he ran from officers.

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Defence lawyer, Brett Chappell, said his client had no previous convictions.

Keith Statter, 66, accused of benefit fraud

A pensioner accused of benefit fraud involving £22,000 has made his first appearance at court.

Keith Statter, 66, of Albany Avenue, South Shore, is accused of dishonestly failing to notify the Department of Work and Pensions that there had been an improvement in his mobility restrictions and a reduction in his care needs between January 2007 and June 2015.

Slatter’s case was adjourned for further inquiries.

Sean Long, 28, drug driving

A driver stopped in a routine check by police at Blackpool was found with drugs in his body.

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Sean Long, 28, of Burnside Avenue, Preston, pleaded guilty to three offences of drug driving.

He was sentenced to a three weeks curfew from 7pm to 6am, banned from the road for 12 months and ordered to pay £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police stopped Long as he drove a Renault Clio on Preston New Road near the junction of the M55 on May 25 at 12.45am.

A blood test showed 49 units of cocaine in his body - 10 is the limit, 11 units of cannabis - 2 is the limit and 374 units of the cocaine derivative Benzoylecgonine - 50 is the limit.

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Andrew Nottingham, defending, said it was a routine stop and there was no criticism of his client’s manner of driving.

Long had been totally frank with the officer admitting he had recently smoked cannabis. He had used cocaine a few days previously and the drug had shown up in his system.