Blackpool: From the courts 15-10-16

Daniel Mullen, 56, theft

A man accused of stealing meat from the Blackpool branch of Sainsburys has had his case adjourned for medical reports by resort magistrates.

Daniel Mullen, 56, of Saville Road, South Shore, pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Defence lawyer, Robert Castle, said his client would use the defence that he had previously had a head injury and a medical report was needed.

Catherine Davies, 37, fraud

A woman accused of being a fake landlady at Blackpool was unable to attend the first hearing of her case at magistrates’ court as she had to be in the family court.

Catherine Davies, 37, of Curate Road. Anfield, Liverpool, is alleged to have fraudulently purported to be the landlady of a property on the resort’s Tynedale Road to obtain £630 in rent.

Davies’s case was adjourned by Blackpool magistrates.

Luke Anyon, 21, dangerous driving

A man accused of driving at excess speed while disqualified as he was pursued by the police in Poulton has made his first appearance at court.

Luke Anyon, 21, of Hatfield Avenue, Fleetwood, faces a charge of driving a Ford Transit van dangerously in Breck Road on September 27.

He is also alleged to have been driving while banned without insurance.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, asked for the case to be heard at crown court. Defence lawyer, David Charnley, said his client would not indicate a plea to dangerous driving at that stage.

Anyon was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on November 9 by Blackpool magistrates.

David Tuck, 27, drink-driving

A drunken driver crashed into a phone box a bollard and traffic lights after panicking when he was followed by police.

David Tuck then fled from the accident scene and was later tracked down hiding under a car in a nearby road.

Tuck, , 27, of Boothley Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

He was disqualified from driving for 17 months, fined £120 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police followed Tuck as he drove a VW Beetle on September 29 at 1.50am. He went round a roundabout on Grasmere Road, accelerated fast away and the officer estimated he was doing at least 60mph.

He was followed onto Rigby Road where he had crashed into a phone box bollard and traffic lights. The phone box was on its side and a wire hanging from the traffic lights.

The car was empty but Tuck was caught nearby. A breath test showed 62 micrograms of alcohol in his body -35 is the limit. He had injured his chin and was taken to hospital.

Stephen Duffy, defending, said his client had been going to McDonalds for something to eat and panicked when he saw the police officer behind him.

Tuck denied driving at 60mph.

Siobhan Winstanley, 25, fraud

A mother-of-three turned benefits cheat when she concealed from the authorities her children no longer lived with her and had been taken into care.

Siobhan Winstanley illegally claimed more than £6,000 from the public purse by her deception.

Winstanley, 25, of Horsebridge Road, Grange Park, pleaded guilty to two offences of dishonestly failing to notify a change in circumstances to obtain benefits.

She was sentenced to an eight weeks curfew and ordered to pay £40 costs with £60 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said between November 2011 and August last year Winstanley illegally claimed a total of £6,037 in income support and housing benefit when she did not disclose to the authorities her three children has been taken into care. She had completed a review for income support stating her three children still lived in her household.

Steven Townley, defending, said Winstanley had separated from her partner because it was a violent relationship. Social services then became involved and took the children into care. Winstanley resumed her relationship with her partner for 10 months and she then told him it was over.

Winstanley said she had been told by a social worker that she would not get child benefit when the children were in care but she could claim other benefits.

Andrew Dearth, 50, theft

A man stole two Marvel action figures hoping to sell them because he was not receiving benefits money,

Andrew Dearth, 50, of Park Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was given a two year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £20 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said

Dearth was put under citizen’s arrest by a customer who saw him stealing two action figures valued at £59 from the resort’s Disney Store on September 23.

Police found a small pair of scissors in Dearth’s possession which he had used to cut the security tags from the figures. Dearth had a record of similar theft convictions.

Stephen Duffy, defending, said Dearth had a drug problem.

Robert Harding, 38, driving offences

A man accused of perverting the course of justice has gone on the run. Robert Harding, 38, of Hodgson Road, North Shore, Blackpool, is alleged to have perverted the course of justice by giving false details to a police officer leading to the incorrect person being prosecuted for road traffic offences. Harding is also accused of driving without insurance and not in accordance with a licence. He did not attend the first hearing of his case and a warrant without bail for his arrest was issued by Blackpool magistrates.

Shaun Perkes, 33, cannabis possession

A man accused of possessing cannabis has appeared at court.

Shaun Perkes, 33, of Agnew Road, Fleetwood, had his case adjourned by Blackpool magistrates after his defence lawyer said police were going to be asked if Perkes could receive a caution.

Declan Tarrant, 20, burglary

A man broke into a town centre Blackpool bar and enjoyed a drinking spree. Declan Tarrant, 20, had four months added to a jail term he is currently serving at Preston Prison.

Tarrant admitted burgling Pepe’s Bar on Talbot Road,Blackpool Magistrates heard. Once inside he drank vodka and a bottle of whisky was taken. The court heard that a workman at a building opposite noticed the front door of the bar had been opened at a time he knew the place was shut. He looked inside and alerted police who caught 
Tarrant.