Blackpool: From the courts 19-12-16

David Ormerod, 50, possession of drugs with intent to supply

A gold dealer accused of being concerned in the supply of drugs has made his first appearance at court.

David Ormerod, 50, of Braithwaite Street, North Shore, is charged with being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possessing amphetamine.

He also faces offences of possessing cannabis skunk and cannabis resin with intent to supply both types of the drug.

The offences are alleged to have taken place in Blackpool between March and July this year.

Prosecutor, Peter Bardsley, asked for the case to be heard at crown court.

Defence lawyer, Patrick Nelligan, said his client would not indicate pleas to the offences at that stage.

Ormerod was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on January 18.

Paul Sproat, 31, possession of cannabis

A man on licence from prison was found with drugs in a Blackpool supermarket.

Paul Sproat, 31, of Dalegarth Close, Mereside, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis.

He was fined £80 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, said on November 28 at 4pm police were called to Morrisons. Security guards there spoke to an officer about Sproat who then handed over a small snap bag of cannabis.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client was on licence from prison and had already been recalled to jail once after he committed an offence of shoplifting.

It had been decided he would not be recalled to prison for the cannabis offence, but Sproat, who had no previous drug convictions, realised he had sailed very close to the wind.

Alex Higgins, 24, drunk and disorderly

A night out in Blackpool with his girlfriend ended in the police cells for a visitor.

Alex Higgins, 24, of South Lane, Netherton, Wakefield, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly.

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

Prosecutor, Jim Mowbray, said police saw Higgins in Chapel Street in the early hours of November 26.

He appeared to punch a woman he was with in the face.

Higgins then made an obscene gesture to police and muttered something about knocking officers out. He ran off shouting and swearing and had to be subdued before being arrested.

Higgins denied hitting his girlfriend and told magistrates: “We were on a night out and I got carried away and had too many drinks.”

Paul Quinn, 35, theft, threatening behaviour, drunk disorderly and breach of conditional discharge

A man struggling to get off crack cocaine became addicted to alcohol and got in trouble with the authorities.

Paul Quinn, a 35-year-old father-of-three, of Overdale Grove, Grange Park, pleaded guilty to two thefts, threatening behaviour, being drunk and disorderly and breaching a conditional discharge imposed for stealing.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 25 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service and fined £20 with £30 compensation plus £85 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Andrew Robinson, said Quinn was arrested by British Transport police on October 29, after shouting, swearing and spitting at Blackpool North railway station.

On November 26 he stole a bottle of rum from Sainsburys, Talbot Road, and the next day was apprehended when he returned to the same store and took a bottle of whisky.

The same day he was also caught shouting in the street and throwing bottles up at a window.

Hugh Pond, defending, said his client started using cannabis when he was at school and eventually ended up on crack cocaine.

He desperately tried to get off crack and became addicted to alcohol.

Mr Pond added: “At the time of the thefts he was desperate for alcohol and he had no money.

“He is living a fairly miserable life.

“He does not see his children.

“He has no future prospects.”

Kieran Saunders, 24, producing cannabis

Emergency services called to an address in Blackpool found a cannabis factory valued at almost £10,000.

Kieran Saunders, 24, formerly of Alexandra Road, South Shore, now living at Norley Close, Warrington, pleaded guilty to producing cannabis.

He was bailed to appear for sentence on January 18 at Preston Crown Court by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Peter Bardsley, said police were called to a fire at a property on the resort’s Alexandra Road on July 9, where Saunders lived at the time.

They found 17 cannabis plants growing there and an expert calculated the potential yield of the drugs would come to £9,700.

Jamie Stokes, 30, resisting arrest

A man pleaded guilty to damaging a window in a door and resisting arrest at Blackpool.

Jamie Stokes, 30, of Orton Place, Leicester, was bailed for sentence in the New Year by magistrates.

He must not enter Lancashire except for court proceedings or to see his lawyer as a condition of his bail.

Christopher Wilson, 46, theft

A man reverted to his former criminal ways when he lost his benefits money.

Christopher Wilson had had no food for four days so he went to a supermarket and stole some.

Wilson, 46, of Bristol Avenue, Bispham, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £40 costs plus £20 victim’s surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Peter Bardsley, said Wilson was seen putting six packs of cheese and two joints of gammon valued together at £19 inside his jacket at Sainsburys, Whitegate Drive, on December 1.

Kathryn Jamieson-Sinclair, defending, said her client had previously had a long history of offending, historically as a result of using drugs. Wilson had been through a successful rehabilitation and no longer took heroin.

He committed the theft after losing his benefits money and going days without food.

Benjamin Harding, 24, theft

A man accused of stealing Christmas goods has been put on the wanted list.

Benjamin Harding, 24, of Queen Street, Blackpool, is charged with stealing an £80 Christmas tree, a cuddly penguin worth £60 and a reindeer valued at £40, all from the resort’s Wilko store.

Harding failed to attend court and a warrant without bail was issued for his arrest by magistrates.