Blackpool: From the courts 20-02-17

Here is a round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court.
Blackpool Magistrates CourtBlackpool Magistrates Court
Blackpool Magistrates Court

Francesca Baker, 23, driving with excess alcohol

A dental nurse was over the alcohol limit when police saw her driving erratically.

Francesca Baker, 23, of Cherish View, Strickens Lane, Barnacre, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

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She was banned from the road for 16 months and fined £250 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police saw Baker who was driving an Alfa Romeo Mito on Blackpool’s Dickson Road near the Funny Girls nightclub veer onto the wrong side of the road on January 22 at 5.45am.

A police patrol followed her and stopped the car after seeing her collide with a nearside kerb on Talbot Road.

A breath test showed 59 microgrammes of alcohol in her body - 35 is the limit.

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Baker told the court: “I know I was in the wrong and have to face the consequences and learn my lesson.”

She added that the driving ban would have an effect on her as the company she worked for had a number of practices and it moved her about between locations.

David Summers, 36, burglary

A man burgled a woman next door neighbour while she and her child were on holiday over the festive period.

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David Summers was caught when crime scene investigators analysed blood found at the scene and matched it to his.

Summers, 36, formerly of Fielding Road, North Shore, now living at Edelston Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to burglary.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Summers’ female neighbour at Fielding Road went away on holiday between December 18 last year and January 5.

She returned home to see a glass panel had been broken and two televisions had been stolen.

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When interviewed by police Summers said he had been drunk. He had taken a bed sheet with him to transport the items he stole and sold the TV’s for £50.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client’s marriage had broken up, he was drinking too much and had got himself in debt. He believed his neighbour had moved out of the property and it was for let.

Summers was bailed to appear at Preston Crown Court on March 15 for sentence.

Terry Hartley, 40, theft

A man turned to crime and stole meat after splitting up with his wife.

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Terry Hartley decided to leave her because he said she was using drugs and he feared he might go back on drugs himself, but once they parted he had no money.

Hartley, 40, of Chepstow Road, Grange Park, pleaded guilty to theft.

He was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £50 costs with £20 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Hartley was seen on CCTV at the resort’s Sainsburys putting packets of meat valued at £26 into a bag on January 27 at 8.40pm.

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He walked out without paying and had to be detained on the floor after swearing and making threats against a security officer. Hartley had 35 previous convictions for theft and similar offences.

Stephen Duffy, defending, said that in the past his client had had drug and alcohol addictions. Hartley had got to grip with his problems, partly with his wife’s help.

He had parted with his wife this year because she was using drugs and he feared that would lead him back to drugs.

He then had no benefits and no accommodation and stole the meat intending to eat it. Hartley had broken his shin bone and only recently had the plaster removed. He said he had been frogmarched by the security officer after taking the meat and suffered pain.

David Bick, 40, driving with excess alcohol

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A senior civil servant who was almost five times over the alcohol limit has been punished by being given the maximum driving ban.

David Bick had been drinking vodka and was trapped by police in his home village after officers received a tip-off about him.

Bick, a Department of Works and Pensions chief, gave a breathalyser test which showed 161 microgrammes of alcohol in his body - 35 is the limit.

The 40-year-old civil servant, of Sherbourne Road, Hambleton, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

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Bick was sentenced to 12 weeks jail suspended for 18 months, put on an 18 months community order with up to 50 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service and ordered to pay £85 costs with £115 victims’ surcharge.

He was also banned from driving for five years. Presiding magistrate, Alan Sandham, told him: “This is the maximum we can give. The court feels it must pass this severe sentence.”

Prosecutor, Peter Bardsley, said police received information about a possible drink-driver in Hambleton on January 11 about midnight.

A police patrol saw Bick in an Audi A4 which was crawling along Carr Lane in the village. Police stopped and breathalysed him.

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The prosecutor said: “The defendant’s reading was well on the way to be five times over the limit.”

Defence lawyer, Tony Broadley, said his client had no previous convictions and a clean driving licence.

Mr Broadley added: “He has had an alcohol problems for several years. He has a good job with the DWP and there has been a disciplinary hearing at work over this incident. If he does not receive a custodial sentence he will not lose his job.

“He has been terrified about appearing in court. This really will be the last time you see this man in court.”

Louise Bennett, 36, driving with excess alcohol

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A mother was over the alcohol limit when she ran out of fuel on a motorway in a dangerous position on a slip road.

Louise Bennett, 36, of Dickson Road, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She was banned from the road for 17 months and fined £120 with £85 costs plus £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police received a report an Astra had stopped in a lane of the M55 at Wesham on January 30 at 11.45pm .

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Police found Bennett and her car in lane two of an exit slip road. The patrol car’s lights were put on to warn other drivers of the car’s dangerous position.

Bennett told officers: “I’m really sorry about this, I think the car has run out of fuel.”

A breath test showed 63 microgrammes of alcohol in her body - 35 is the limit.

She said she had drunk just two glasses of wine.

Steven Townley, defending, said his client had bi-polar disorder and while she was out she suffered a panic attack, so she rushed to her car and set off to drive home.