Blackpool: From the courts 10-03-17

A husband said to take steroids was described by his ex wife as a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ character.

John Deakin kicked a wall in his former wife’s home and shouted at her in front of two of their children.

Deakin, a 37-year-old care worker, of Talbot Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to 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 £115 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Sarah Perkins, said the couple had been married for five years but split-up three-and-a-half years ago.

Deakin’s ex wife said he took steroids which she believed caused him to have a ‘‘Jekyll and Hylde’ personality and said he could flip in seconds.

Deakin had come to his ex’s home to take one of their children to nursery. He then became annoyed, accusing her of texting other people.

He kicked a wall at the address causing damaging amounting to £80.

Here is a round-up of some of Thursday’s cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court 09-03-17

Luke Evans, 28, arson

A man set fire to a bag containing clothing belonging to a former girlfriend and kicked it around a Blackpool street.

Luke Evans, 28, of Clifford Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to arson.

Prosecutor, Sarah Perkins, said Evans set fire to his ex’s property on February 18, after an argument. Evans had a previous conviction for causing damage.

Steven Townley, defending, said the couple had recently separated. Evans’ ex lived in Cornwall, but she had been staying with him at the time.

He lost his temper during a row and set fire to the bag.

Evans was bailed for pre-sentence reports.

Thomas Watkins, 36, drug-driving

An electrician had previously smoked cannabis when police caught him in his parked car on Christmas Eve in Blackpool.

Thomas Watkins, 36, of Bowness Road, Preston, pleaded guilty to drug driving.

He was banned from driving for 12 months and fined £340 with £85 costs plus £34 victims’ surcharge by District Judge Mike Hopkinson.

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, said on December 24 about midnight a police patrol parked in the McDonalds car park, Preston New Road, smelt cannabis coming from Watkins Peugeot.

A blood test showed Watkins had 5.3 units of cannabis in his body – the specified limit is two.

Watkins told the judge he was not a regular cannabis user but had smoked some at tea time because it was Christmas.

It was hours later he drove to pick up a friend who had been smoking cannabis in the car.

Craig Wilson, 51, Ian Kitching, 59, failing to comply with a condition imposed by a senior police officer

Two anti fracking protestors accused of failing to move for police have had the first hearing of their case at court.

Craig Wilson and Ian Kitching are alleged to have committed the offence while taking part in a protest against Cuadrilla fracking for shale gas at their site at Preston New Road, Westby.

Wilson, 51, and Kitching, 55, both of Hallam Way, Whitehills Business Park, Blackpool, are charged with taking part in a public assembly and failing to comply with a condition imposed by a senior police officer to move to the opposite side of the carriageway on February 20 this year.

The defendants were not present at court and the case was adjourned at their defence lawyer’s request to March 22.

Kimberley Tate, 27, possessing cocaine with intent to supply

A woman accused of having cocaine with a street value of almost half-a-million pounds in the boot of her car when she was stopped on the M55 at Blackpool has made her first appearance at court.

Kimberley Tate, 27, of Henderson Avenue, Normanton, Wakefield, is charged with possessing two kilos of the class A drug with intent to supply it on November 17 last year.

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, asked for the case to be heard at crown court.

Tate indicated she would plead not guilty to the offence.

She was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on April 12.

Melvyn Asprey, 52, assault and resisting arrest

A man threw chips at his girlfriend and poured two soft drinks over her head at a fast food restaurant at Blackpool.

Melvyn Asprey flew into a temper after accusing her of flashing her breasts at a table of men in the eaterie.

Asprey, a 52-year-old supervising electrician, of Aira Street, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to assault and resisting arrest.

He was sentenced to a residence order and must live at his given address until September next year and fined £400 with £85 costs plus £40 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Sarah Perkins, said the couple had come to the resort for a break and on February 17 and at 12.30am were in McDonalds, Bank Hey Street.

Asprey wanted to go back to their hotel but his girlfriend asked to stay at the restaurant for another five minutes before they left.

He shouted: “Well here are your chips then” before throwing fries at her and tipping two soft drinks over her head.

Staff called police and Asprey struggled so violently with officers he had to be pepper-sprayed.

In a victims’ impact statement read to the court Asprey’s girlfriend said: “Sometimes he is the most loving man in the world and I love him. Other times he is a monster.

“I can’t take the abuse any more.”

Paul Beckett, 79, drink-driving

A pensioner was found to be over the alcohol limit after a tip-off to police.

Paul Beckett, 79, of Scarborough Road, St Annes, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was banned from the road for 12 months and fined £120 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge by District Judge Hopkinson.

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, said police received information a man who had been drinking at the Victoria pub, Church Road, St Annes, had got into a car and driven off on February 19 at 8.50pm.

Officers saw Beckett sitting in a parked Volkswagen Passat, with its engine running, in his driveway.

He admitted drinking too much and said he had driven on back roads to get his wife, who was not well, home. A breath test showed 52 micrograms of alcohol in his body – 35 is the limit.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had drunk two pints and two whiskies and had a meal at the pub.

Beckett had been struggling to care for his ill wife for four years.