Blackpool: From the courts 21-02-18

Here is the latest round-up of some of the cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court.
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Blackpool magistrates court
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Tuesday's round-up of cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court 20-02-18

Lynne Marais, 38, theft

A thief caught red-handed taking booze from a supermarket told police she stole because she was an alcoholic.

Lynne Marais, 38, of Carshalton Road, North Shore, appeared before the court via the videolink from Styal Prison and pleaded guilty to theft.

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She was jailed for three months and ordered to pay £115 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Marais was seen on CCTV on November 30, putting cans and a bottle of alcohol in her handbag at Sainsbury’s, Whitegate Drive.

She was detained at the store exit and found to have four cans of Jack Daniels, and cola and a bottle of wine.

When interviewed she told police she had no money and she needed drink because she was an alcoholic.

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Marais, currently serving a prison sentence for an offence of theft, was on a suspended jail sentence for stealing at the time of the offence.

Howard Green, defending, said his client had been alcoholic for many years and she said all her offending was because of her drink problem.

Marais was currently serving an eight weeks prison sentence and was due for release on March 1.

Sharon Watson, 44, making threats to kill

A woman threatened to burn her former boyfriend alive by setting fire to the boat he lived on.

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Sharon Watson told police she intended taking revenge because he had ended their relationship.

Watson, 44, of St George’s Lane, St Annes, pleaded guilty to making threats to kill.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Watson rang police and said she had mental health problems on February 16 at 8.30pm, felt low and wanted to talk.

She then repeatedly made threats saying she was going to harm her former boyfriend who lived on a boat at Lancaster.

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The prosecutor added: “She said he had done nothing to harm her but she wanted revenge on him.

“She repeatedly said she would set fire to his boat while he was inside and that she did not care about the consequences.”

When a mental health worker spoke to Watson she told the worker she was going to get a train to Lancaster, fill a can with petrol, then throw it over the boat and set it ablaze with him inside.

Police felt there was a real possibility she would carry out her threat and arrested her.

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Defence lawyer, Robert Castle, asked for psychiatric reports on his client and did not request bail for her.

Watson was remanded in custody to appear for sentence at Preston Crown Court on March 21.

Boy, 16, breach of bail conditions

A sleeping teenager found himself in trouble with the law when he failed to answer the door to police.

The 16-year-old Blackpool boy, who can not be identified for legal reasons, had been bailed on a condition he kept a curfew between 9pm and 7am at his address and presented himself to police who called there.

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The teenager pleaded guilty to two offences of breaching bail.

Magistrates agreed to rebail him to the resort’s youth court where he faces an offence of burglary, taking a car, handling stolen goods and 10 offences of fraud involving stolen bank cards.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said the boy had previously been bailed on the conditions he kept an overnight curfew, presented himself to police who called during the curfew and did not enter Herons Reach.

On February 16 at 12.45am police went to the teenager’s home and knocked loudly and repeatedly but he did not come to the door.

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The next day another officer was outside the boy’s home at 9.15pm, but there was no sign of him.

Beverley Stewartson, 46, assault

A mother-of-five who had been drinking called police and claimed her children were missing.

Beverley Stewartson later attacked a police officer after he found her children playing in the street and brought them home.

Stewartson, 46, of Butlers Meadow, Warton, pleaded guilty to assault on police.

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

Presiding magistrate, Janet Lee, told her: “We are aware you have a problem with alcohol and that is one of the reasons for this offence, but the police officer was trying to help you and carrying out his job.”

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Stewartson rang police on January 7 and said she had last seen her children the day before and they were missing.

Police found her children playing football in the street and took them home. Stewartson became very emotional and for her own protection she was arrested. She then kicked out hard catching a male officer on the shin.