Blackpool: From the courts 21-05-18

Michael Croaker, 48, assault

A man punched another in the face in front of a police officer.

Michael Croaker, 48, of Windsor Terrace, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to assault. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay £50 compensation.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a police officer saw Croaker and another man shouting at each other at the junction of North Church Street and Pharos Street, on April 24, at 5.40pm.

Croaker then punched the other man in the face. The victim suffered a swollen right ear.

Croaker has a criminal record of 120 previous offences.

David Tuck, 28, theft and breach of suspended prison sentence

A thief claimed CCTV showing a man shoplifting was his twin brother.

David Tuck threw a stolen candle at one security officer and told another security officer who fell to the floor with him that he had was HIV positive and he should get checked out.

Tuck, 28, of Boothley Road, North Shore, pleaded guilty to three thefts and breaching a suspended prison sentence imposed for the aggravated taking of a car and disqualified driving.

He was sentenced to 20 weeks jail and ordered to pay £115 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said CCTV showed Tuck stealing two candles valued at £27 from Sainsbury’s, Talbot Road, on February 5, but when shown the footage the defendant claimed it was his twin brother.

On May 12 he stole candles valued at £56 from Sainsbury’s and on May 12 took £45 of razor blades and baby milk powder from Lloyds.

Matthew Gill, 42, theft, driving without insurance and not in accordance with learner’s licence

A man in debt took his wife’s car and went out stealing for items he could sell.

Matthew Gill, a 42-year-old cleaner, of Wood Street, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to theft and driving without insurance and not in accordance with his learner’s licence.

He was given a 12 month conditional discharge, fined £150 with £85 costs plus £20 victims’ surcharge and had six motoring penalty points put on his licence.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police searching for a Chevrolet on March 17 at 5.45pm, saw the car parked outside the Spar Shop, Lord Street, Fleetwood.

Officers saw Gill run out of the shop and drive off. When arrested, six cans of coffee valued at £20, which he had stolen from the shop, were found in his bag.

He had a record of 22 previous thefts and similar matters but had not been before a court since 2009.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said Gill had got himself in a state over £50 which he had borrowed and not told his wife about.

He had taken the foolish step of using his wife’s car to go out and steal.

Paul Fitton, 37, theft, assaulting a police officer

A man who drank up to 12 litres of cider a day escaped being sent to jail after a court was told he was doing well beating his booze habit.

Paul Fitton, 37, of Pleasant Street, North Shore, pleaded guilty to theft and assaulting a police officer.

He was sentenced to an eight weeks curfew from 8pm to 8am, fined £50 with £30 victims’ surcharge and ordered to pay £50 compensation to the officer.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Fitton was arrested in Sainsbury’s, Talbot Road, on April 18, after stealing alcohol valued at £16.

He was aggressive with store security guards and said he would assault police officers.

Fitton repeatedly headbutted the cage as he travelled in the police van and at the station was described as kicking a male officer to the back of his upper leg with all his force.

Fitton had a record of 152 crimes and the time of the offences he was on two suspended prison sentences.

Brett Chappell, defending, said Fitton had the worst addiction to alcohol he had ever known.

Mr Chappell said: “He was drinking up to 12 litres of cider a day.

“He was killing himself and pleading for help.”

The day of the offences Fitton had missed his prescription to help with withdrawal symptoms from alcohol and he deliberately went shoplifting to get arrested as he knew he would get the medication he needed once in custody.

Fitton was now working with alcohol rehabilitation specialists and had massively decreased his alcohol consumption to four to six cans of cider a day.