Blackpool: From the courts 24-04-17

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

Louise Brown, 34, and Matthew Woodward, 39, robbery

A woman has been accused of targeting men in bars at Blackpool offering them sexual services and then luring them to quiet areas before her partner attacked them.

Louise Brown and Matthew Woodward are said to have robbed two men, causing cuts to the throat and a stab wound to the jaw of the first victim and putting the second victim in a headlock.

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The robberies are alleged to have taken place in or near a sports pitch in the resort’s Gorton Street on April 1 and 14.

Brown, a 34-year-old mother-of-three, of Granville Road, Blackpool, and Matthew Woodward, 39, also of Granville Road, face two charges of robbery.

They are said to have stole a mobile phone and a wallet containing £30 cash plus bank cards valued at £90 from the first victim and a wallet with £40 cash and bank cards worth £50 from the second victim.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said the case must go to crown court and opposed bail for the defendants.

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Defence lawyer, Suzanne Mugford, asked for bail on her client’s behalf and said they had indicated they would plead not guilty to the offences.

Brown was bailed on the conditions she lived at her given address, kept an 8pm to 6am curfew and did not contact the complainants or her co-accused or enter any bar, pub, club or nightclub.

Woodward was refused bail and remanded in custody.

Blackpool magistrates said the defendants should appear at Preston Crown Court on May 24.

Luke Gillett, 25, breaching an order

A man accused of breaching a restraining order appeared at court over the video-link.

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Luke Gillett, 25, of Bowness Avenue, Mereside, pleaded not guilty to breaching the order by turning up at a woman’s address and having a conversation with her.

Gillett was remanded in custody to May 5 for trial by Blackpool magistrates.

Chantelle Fitton, 22, drug possession

A woman found with a wrap of heroin in her sock when she was searched by police has been ordered by a court to go on a drug rehabilitation course.

Chantelle Fitton, 22, of Palatine Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to possession of class A drugs, failing to answer bail and breaching a conditional discharge imposed for shoplifting.

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She was sentenced to a six months community order with three months drug rehabilitation, fined £20 and ordered to pay £85 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police stopped a car Fitton was a passenger in and £10 of heroin was found on her when she was searched at the police station on March 17.

Defence lawyer, Gary McAnulty, said Fitton had cut down on her use of drugs.

Daniel Sampson, 20, burglary

A man has appeared at court over the video-link and admitted breaking into a Blackpool hotel.

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Daniel Sampson, 20, of Osborne Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to burglary of The Earlsway Hotel with another man and stealing cash and watches on July 24 last year.

Sampson was remanded in custody for sentence at a later date by Blackpool magistrates.

Adam Burns, 30, bail breach

A father-of-four was arrested after police found him at his address with his wife.

Adam Burns had been ordered by a court to have no contact with wife except through solicitors’ or children and young people’s services.

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Burns, 30, of St Michaels Road, Bispham, pleaded guilty to breaching a condition of his bail.

Blackpool magistrates agreed to rebail him on the conditions he had no contact with his wife except through lawyers or child services, lives at his given address, keeps a tagged curfew from 7pm to 7am, reports daily to police and does not enter Fleetwood. Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a police officer went to Burns’s home and saw the defendant’s wife as she walked downstairs on April 21 at 1am. Howard Green, defending, said Burns’s wife turned up at his address with three of the children and he felt he could not turn them away.

Burns now realised if his wife did turn up he should ring the police and say he had been put in an impossible position.