Blackpool: From the courts 04-06-18

Martin Sweeney, 43, possessing an offensive weapon and failing to provide a specimen for drugs testing

Police who found a driver slumped over his steering wheel on Christmas Eve at first thought he was dead.

Martin Sweeney was found to have a pulse by officers but after being roused he fell asleep in the back of the police car.

Sweeney, 43, of Eversleigh Avenue, Thornton, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in the form of a police style extendable baton and failing to provide a specimen for drug testing.

He was given a 12 months community order with a three months curfew from 8pm to 6am, had 10 penalty points put on his licence and was ordered to pay £150 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, said police found Sweeney slumped over the wheel of a BMW with the engine running in Blakiston Street, Fleetwood, on December 24.

An officer felt for his pulse and eventually managed to rouse him.

A roadside drug wipe test proved positive for cocaine.

Police found an extendable baton in the car’s centre console.

At the police station Sweeney refused to give a blood test to check for drugs in his system, saying he was frightened of needles.

The prosecutor said: “He had a large number of tattoos on his body so police felt that was a not a reasonable excuse not to provide blood.”

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said Sweeney acquired his needle phobia after his son, who subsequently died, spent months in hospital and had many injections.

Sweeney had had very little sleep before committing the offences as it was the run-up to the anniversary of his son’s death.

He had taken one line of cocaine the day before.

He also had limited mobility and used the baton when he walked his two large dogs, to hold them back if they showed signs of wanting to fight with other dogs.

Sharonne Ross, 45, theft

A woman stole a Christmas wreath from the front door of a house in St Annes.

Sharrone Ross, 45, formerly of St David’s Road South, St Annes, now living at Park Road, St Annes, pleaded guilty to theft.

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, said CCTV captured Ross going up to a house in St Patrick’s Road South, St Annes, on December 20, and unscrewing the festive wreath valued at £15 from the front door.

Defence lawyer, Stephen Townley, said at the time of the theft Ross was on new medication from her doctor, which did not agree with her.

Ross was bailed to be sentenced at a later date.

Corey Gould, 21, robbery and possession of a knife

A man accused of staging a robbery while armed with a knife has been remanded in custody.

Corey Gould, 21, of Butler’s Meadow, Warton, is accused of robbing the Co-op store in Freckleton of £247 in cash.

Magistrates said the charges of robbery and possessing the knife must be heard at Preston Crown Court.

Gould was remanded in custody until he appears at the higher court on July 4.

Jason Phillips, 48, assault

A man accused of assault has been further remanded in custody.

Jason Phillips, 48, is accused of carrying out an assault in Blackpool on April 28. Phillips of no fixed address appeared before magistrates by video link and was told his trial will take place on June 18.

Phillips, who denies the offence, made no application for bail.

Andrew Davies, 30, criminal damage

A man who had been drinking vodka and kept calling his girlfriend a muppet lost his temper on New Year’s Day.

Andrew Davies was told to leave the address and he then damaged the front door with a broken brick.

Davies, 30, formerly of Poulton Street, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to two offences of causing damage.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service and ordered to pay £200 compensation.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Davies and his girlfriend had been in a relationship from December 2016 but split-up about five weeks before January 1 this year.

On New Year’s Day, Davies was at his ex’s address drinking vodka.

After being asked to leave he caused £400 of damage to the front door.

On December 30 there had been a previous incident at the address where Davies had booted the wooden kitchen door off its hinges, causing his girlfriend’s daughter to cry.

Davies’ defence lawyer said the defendant was extremely ashamed of the way he had behaved.

When Davies was asked to leave he had nowhere else to go, so he lost his temper.

He wanted his personal belongings and damaged the front door.

Davies had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, had previously attempted to take his life and been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.