Blackpool: From the courts 06/06/17

Zoe Doyle, 34, theft

A woman with financial difficulties took a purse which had been left in a Blackpool supermarket on New Year’s Eve.

Zoe Doyle, 34, of Lytham Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to theft.

She was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £18 compensation with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said a woman went shopping in Aldi, Oxford Square on December 31.

After leaving the supermarket she realised she did not have her purse and returned to the shop.

Staff said a purse had not been handed in.

They checked the CCTV and Doyle was seen picking up the purse.

When apprehended she said a relative had used one of the bank cards in the purse.

Brett Chappell, defending, said Doyle’s benefits had been sanctioned when she notified the DWP her partner was returning to live with her.

Throughout December and January she had little money.

Doyle went out shopping on New Year’s Eve for some food for the festivities and saw the purse lying on the side in the supermarket.

She had only benefited by £5 as she used that from the purse to get a taxi home.

Here is Monday’s round-up of cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court 05-06-17

Dean Flackett, 27, drunk and disorderly

A man swore and made rude gestures at police officers after a disturbance outside a Bispham shop.

Dean Flackett, a 27-year-old window fitter, of Exchange Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

He was fined £65 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police were called to reports of a disturbance outside the Spar shop, Kincraig Road on May 6 at 9.20pm.

Officers saw one group walking away and the defendant was with a second group near the shop.

Flackett was pointed out as being aggressive and trying to start fights with a number of people.

Flackett started to walk away, swearing at police and making rude gestures before kicking out at an officer.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said Flackett and a friend had been drinking and then went to the shop where there was an altercation.

Other people then arrived in a car and started making threats.

Flackett tried to walk away as he felt he was the victim in the matter.

He now accepted he should have stood there and spoken to the police.

Jonathan Proctor, 26, driving with excess alcohol

An aerospace engineer was more than twice over the limit when police pulled him over.

Jonathan Proctor would buy a bicycle to enable him to cycle to work after he was banned a court was told.

Proctor, 26, of Deerhurst Road, Anchorsholme, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was disqualified from driving for 22 months and fined £145 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police saw Proctor driving a VW Golf at speed on Lytham Road and stopped him on May 6 at 3am.

Proctor said he had drunk one pint of lager an hour earlier.

A breath test showed 89 micrograms of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

Adam Whittaker, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had gone to the pub with friends and drunk five pints of normal strength lager.

Two hours after his last drink he felt hungry and was on his way to get a takeaway when he was stopped by police.

Proctor would now buy a bike to get to work.

Gerrard Floyd, 42, driving with excess alcohol

A driver spotted speeding at just under 100mph on a motorway was found to be over the alcohol level.

Gerrard Floyd was stopped on the M55 at Kirkham after driving a Jaguar in the middle lane of the motorway and not moving over into lane one.

Floyd, a 42-year-old former roofing business boss, of Lune Walk, Droylsden, Manchester, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was banned from the road for 16 months and fined £120 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge.

John Murphy, 46, drunk and disorderly

A man was arrested after arguing with a taxi driver over £3 he thought should not be on the fare.

John Murphy, 46, of Beach Road, Cleveleys, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

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

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police saw a taxi parked outside The Counting House pub, Talbot Road on May 6 at 12.30am.

Murphy and a woman were passengers and the defendant was arguing with the cab driver over the fare.

Murphy shouted and swore at the police officer.

He was warned about his behaviour but continued shouting abuse at the top of his voice and was arrested.

Robert Castle, defending, said Murphy was in dispute with the taxi driver over £3 he believed should not be on the bill.

Murphy said the police officer had pulled him out of the cab and he had spent some time in custody before being released.

Terry Casey, 39, theft

A man accused of stealing a £300 bicycle in Blackpool has had the case against him dropped after a court was told that he had died.

Terry Casey, 39, of Greenwood Avenue, Marton, had the case formally withdrawn.