Blackpool: From the courts 08-06-18

Joanna Horsley, 45, dishonestly failing to notify a change in circumstances

A grandmother illegally claimed almost £9,000 in housing benefits from Wyre Council.

Joanna Horsley became a benefit cheat when she failed to disclose that her husband was working.

When interviewed by benefit fraud investigators, Horsley said medical problems she had had affected her memory.

The fraud investigators then pointed out to her that she only seemed to report changes that were advantageous to her.

Horsley, 45, of Heritage Way, Cleveleys, pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to notify a change in her circumstances.

She was sentenced to a four-week tagged curfew from 7pm to 7am and ordered to pay £85 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Horsley had illegally claimed £8,820 in housing benefit between October 2015 and February last year.

Horsley had told the authorities when her partner no longer worked for a double glazing company and he had only received carer’s allowance for her.

She also informed the authorities when he had moved out of the household for a time, but she failed to disclose it when he first started work for a postal delivery firm.

Allan Cobain, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, suffered from a myriad of medical conditions and walked with a stick.

Theresa Finch, 42, begging

Magistrates took pity on a woman who was caught begging after she was released from prison and did not punish her.

Theresa Finch, 42, of Bond Street, South Shore, pleaded guilty to an offence of begging.

She was given an absolute discharge by magistrates.

Presiding magistrate, Jeremy Tunnard, told her: “There will be no punishment as you were just out of prison and you were not actively begging, but the conviction will be on your record.”

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a police constable saw Finch sitting on the ground near Tesco Express in Lytham Road, on April 28 at 10.10am.

Finch told the officers that some people had given her food and some people some change. She had received £2.50 from passersby.

The officer chosen not to confiscate the money.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client had just been released from prison.

She had nowhere to live, her benefits had not been sorted out and she was not receiving help for her substance abuse problems.

Finch had not been actively begging, as she had no pot for money in front of her, no sign like “hungry and homeless” and she had not asked or approached people for cash.

People had just seen her sitting there and taken pity on her.

Finch, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, now had a flat, her benefits were partly sorted out and she had referred herself to drink and drug rehabilitation experts.

John McDonough, 24, breach of the peace

A man was arrested after imprisoning a woman and children in a house and refusing to let them out.

John McDonough scared the woman and children, who were eventually released when her father brought a key for the back door.

McDonough, 24, of Powell Avenue, Marton, pleaded guilty to breach of the peace.

He was bound over in the sum of £100 for 12 months by District Judge Jeff Brailsford.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police were called to an address in the resort’s Bright Street on June 2 at 2.30am, where they heard the sounds of items being smashed.

McDonough was inside and responded with abuse when officers knocked on the door.

He shouted that he wasn’t coming out and that they should go away.

A woman shouted she and some children were inside the address and that McDonough would not let them out.

When she was released from the address, the woman said McDonough had come home drunk, behaved badly and upset her and the children.

McDonough admitted he had had a lot to drink and told the judge: “It’s all a blur to me.”

Anthony Leeming, 27, assault

A man has appeared at court charged with assaulting a woman.

Anthony Leeming, 27, of Larbreck Road,Layton is further charged with assaulting a seven-year-old boy.

He denied both allegations when he appeared before Blackpool Magistrates.

The Bench bailed Leeming pending his trial on August 31.