Blackpool: From the courts 23-03-18

Francesca Bell, 49, drink-driving

A woman who was four times over the drink-drive limit only realised she was driving after she crashed into another car.

Francesca Bell was asked what had happened by a passenger in the car she hit but she just laughed.

Bell, a 49-year-old private care worker, of Gamble Road, Thornton, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.

She was sentenced to 12 weeks jail, suspended for 12 months with up to 15 days rehabilitation by the probation service, disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to pay £85 costs with £115 victims’ surcharge.

Presiding magistrate, Graham Curry, told her: “The level of alcohol you had in your blood at the time was like you driving a loaded gun. You are very lucky not to be going to prison today.”

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, said Bell was driving a Ford Fiesta on Fleetwood Road North, Thornton, when she crashed into the rear of a car occupied by two men which was stopped at red traffic lights.

The passenger from the crashed car saw an empty bottle of vodka in the footwell of Bell’s car and took her ignition keys.

Police found Bell was unable to talk coherently and then she asked to go home.

A blood test showed 140 micrograms of alcohol in her body – 35 is the limit.

In a report to the court, probation officer Eleanor Cordwell, said: “She did not know how much she had drunk. She only realised she was driving when she crashed.”

Defence lawyer, David Charnley, said his client, who had no previous convictions, deeply regretted what had happened.

Mr Charnley added: “She is deeply traumatised by having to appear in a criminal court. This is perhaps a lady who will never come before the court again.”

Nicola Lord, 41, breach of terms of suspended prison sentence

A Recovering drug addict was made the subject of, what her lawyer called, an appalling attack.

Mother Nicola Lord had a machete blade run across her toes breaking the skin. Then her assailant threatened to burn her with a lit blow torch.

As a result 41 year old Lord became a virtual hermit at her home on Lytham Road, South Shore, and ended up breaching the terms of her suspended jail term.

Lord admitted breaching her suspended sentence and three charges of shoplifting fragrances valued at £184 from TK Maxx and perfumes from Boots.

She also stole alcohol and razor blades costing £215 from Morrisons supermarket.

She was sentenced her to an eight week curfew and a one year community order with 30 days rehabilitation.

The court was told Lord was unable to pay her bills and was tortured by a man who believed she had stolen from him.

Jordan Price, 27, and Sophie Lloyd, 24, indecent exposure

A couple accused of committing a public nuisance by indecently exposing themselves to a maintenance man at St Annes have made their first appearance at court.

Jordan Price, 27, of Orchard Parade, and Sophie Lloyd, 24, both of East Bank Road, St Annes, pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Their case was adjourned to June 6 for trial.

Martin Downs, 28, drink-driving, not in accordance with licence and with no insurance

A drink-driver lost control and smashed into the front of a shop damaging a wall.

Martin Downs was more than twice the drink-drive limit when he ploughed into the business premises on Banks Street, North Shore.

Downs, 28, of General Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol without insurance and not in accordance with his licence.

Downs was driving a Hyundai Civic on November 30 when the accident happened. A breath test showed 75 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 35 is the limit.

Downs had his case adjourned for sentence on May 23.

Michaela Walsh, 32, failing to ensure child’s regular school attendance

A single mother said her six-year-old daughter missed school because of illnesses in the family.

Michaela Walsh, 32, of Blairway Avenue, Layton, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure a child’s regular attendance at school.

She was fined £38 with £60 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

Lynda Bennett, prosecuting for Blackpool Council, said the case concerned Walsh’s six-year-old elder daughter who was a pupil at Layton Primary School.

Between September 17 and January 15 this year the girl’s attendance rate was 91.4 percent with 12 unauthorised absences.

Walsh told magistrates that her younger daughter had been diagnosed now with asthma and been ill on a number of separate occasions.

Walsh said she was a single mother with no support and during the illnesses she had struggled to get her elder daughter to school at those times, as when she and her younger daughter were ill there was no-one else to take her.