Fleetwood: From the courts 06-07-16

Kevin Vickers was viciously attacked by his pal Adam Mee, who had been “acting strangely” following the death of his father, Preston Crown Court heard.

Mee, wearing a striped orange shirt, was accompanied in the dock by three mental health staff as the court was told he struck Mr Vickers over the head four times, leaving blood spattered all over their friend’s flat in Fleetwood.

The 26-year-old, formerly of Shaftesbury Drive, Blackpool and currently of Guild Lodge, Preston, appeared calm as prosecutor, Claire Larton said: “On July 21 last year Mr Vickers was drinking at the address of a mutual friend with this defendant and the man who owned the property.

“In the early hours of the morning the defendant was upset, his father having recently passed away. He is described as acting strangely, his behaviour being weird, Mr Vickers was trying to calm him down but he continued to behave in this fashion.

“A short time later, for no reason, and without provocation, he left the living room the three men were in, went to another room and returned with what was described as a large wooden bat. It was actually the leg of a chair.

“Without warning the witnesses say all of a sudden he jumped up and whacked Mr Vickers, who was seated at the time, over the head.

“He was disorientated and confused and stumbled from the flat.”

The court heard a woman helped the victim who had suffered a deep split four inches long to his forehead which had to be stapled and stitched.

He had three further head injuries which required glueing.

The court heard the shocked flat owner returned home and found Mee mopping blood off the floor, having put his shirt in the washing machine.

He had also disposed of a bloodstained rug in a neighbour’s back yard.

Julie Taylor, defending, said he had suffered undiagnosed and untreated mental health conditions at the time, made worse by drug abuse.

Judge Christopher Cornwall imposed a hospital order on the defendant.

“You are in the best possible place at this time.”

• A woman accused of hitting her boyfriend with a wine bottle and punching him in the face has appeared at court.

Sophie Moore, 23, of Wingrove Road, Fleetwood, pleaded not guilty to two offences of assault.

The offences are alleged to have taken place at Blackpool on Christmas Eve last year and January this year.

Moore’s case was adjourned to August 15 for trial by Blackpool magistrates.

• The assistant manager of a stud farm was almost twice over the limit when she was stopped by police on her birthday.

Emma Hough aroused police suspicion when she drove away from a pub with a rear light out and was consistently speeding.

Hough, 3, of Waring Drive, Thornton, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She was banned from the road for 18 months, fined £20 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £21 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, said officers in an unmarked police vehicle were parked near the Elk pub, Poulton, on June 18 at 12.30am, when they heard a loud female voice coming from a Peugeot.

Hough had a back light out and was speeding on Fleetwood Road North, Thornton. She was stopped and a breath test showed 64 micrograms of alcohol in her body - 35 is the limit.

Gerry Coyle, defending, said his client was head girl at a horse stud farm in Out Rawcliffe. The night of the offence she went out with a colleague who worked at the stables and they went to the Elk intending to have something to eat.

Hough who had had nothing to eat all day had two to three pints. Because the bar was so busy as the football was on, the kitchen was closed so no food was available.

She believe she was under the limit so she drove to drop off her car before they were to go on to a party. Hough might now have to move to accommodation at the stud because of the distance between her home and work.

• A man accused of stealing four bottles of sports drink from Blackpool’s One Stop shop has had the first hearing of his case at court.

Martin Tysoe, 34, of Prescott Place, Cleveleys, was not present at court and his case was adjourned by Blackpool magistrates

• A drunk mangot into his Bentley to drive home from the pub – rather than walk just 100 yards.

Former electrical engineer Stephen Turner was more than four times over the limit when he took the wheel of the luxury car, only to be halted by a concerned member of the public who removed his key.

A court heard that Turner was unfit to work. He receives £100 a week from his elderly mother and £225 a month State Personal Independence Payment.

Turner of Torentum Court, Thornton was found guilty of drink driving by Blackpool Magistrates.

He was given 26-week jail term suspended for a year,put on a 24-week curfew, and was banned from the road for 30 months. He was also told to pay £580 costs.

The court heard that Turner had been in his local just 10 houses away from his girlfriend’s flat where he was staying.

The court heard he had been downing double vodkas and left the pub just before 2am where witness Brendan Smith saw him stagger in the car park before getting into the Bentley Arnage which was parked on double yellow lines.

Mr Smith heard Turner refuse his girlfriend’s plea to walk home and got in the car and started the engine.

It moved a short distance before Mr Smith said he was calling the police and leaned into the car and took the keys which he threw away.

Turner left the area on foot but returned to look for a mobile phone and was then arrested.

In interview he said that Mr Smith had embellished what had happened and had done so: “Because he is jealous I have a Bentley.

“It is my pride and joy.”

Steven Duffy, defending, said: “My client no longer works and acts as carer for his mother.

“He gets £100 a week from her and the PIP payment of £225 a month.”

“He has no criminal past and now faces the embarrassment of being a 59-year-old man being fitted with an electronic tag.”