Blackpool: From the courts 29-01-18

Paul Bunting, 43, drunk and disorderly and breaching a conditional discharge for obstructing a police officer.

A drunken man was arrested after he became aggressive and got into a police officer’s face.

Paul Bunting, 43, of Central Drive, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly and breaching a conditional discharge for obstructing a police officer.

At the time of the offence he was also on a community order with rehabilitation for an offence of assault.

Bunting was fined £80 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £35 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Presiding magistrate, Janet Lee, said: “You are aware alcohol is a problem in your life for which you are getting help”

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police were called to an address on Central Drive where it was said a bank card had gone missing on January 5.

Bunting was abusive to officers and there were bottles of beer and spirits strewn around the flat.

The bank card was found but a woman at the address did not want Bunting to stay there.

At first Bunting was angry and refused to go, then he agreed and went outside. Once there he became aggressive again and was arrested.

Ashleigh Croasdale, 26, theft

A young woman was described to a court as drinking herself into an early grave.

Ashleigh Croasdale was said to be consuming half-a-bottle of rum and copious amounts of lager some days.

Defence lawyer, Brett Chappell, told magistrates: “She has an entrenched addiction to alcohol and every offence of hers has been fuelled by drink. She is drinking herself into an early grave.”

Croasdale, 26, of Lytham Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to stealing four packs of beer valued at £25.

She was given a 12 months conditional discharge and ordered to pay £25 compensation with £20 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a police sergeant went to refuel his car at the Esso garage, Yeadon Way, when he saw Croasdale and a man hurrying out of the service station shop with packs of beer on January 5 at 10.20pm.

An assistant then came out and told the sergeant they had stolen the beer.

The sergeant followed them onto South car park, but despite him telling them to stand still they disappeared into an alley and when they returned they had no beer.

The beer was never recovered.

Mr Chappell, defending, added that Croasdale had not attended appointments with the probation service which were designed to help her fight her alcohol problem.

Croasdale felt her drink addiction was now affecting her mental health because she often did not want to go out.

Christine Smith, 60, driving with excess alcohol

A driver was found to be over the alcohol limit after an elderly man in a disability scooter crashed into her car.

Christine Smith had not had alcohol on the day of the afternoon accident but she had drunk the day before.

Smith, 60, of Bloomfield Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.

She was disqualified from driving for 12 months, fined £80 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, police were called to a road traffic collision at traffic lights at the junction of the resort’s Waterloo Road and Central Drive in the afternoon of January 4.

A man in a mobility scooter had collided with the side of Smith’s VW Golf and when a police officer spoke to her he could smell alcohol on her breath.

A breath test showed 49 micrograms of alcohol in her body - 35 is the limit.

When interviewed Smith told police she had drunk no alcohol that day but had had alcohol the day before, stopping drinking at midnight.

She was waiting at traffic lights when they turned green and the mobility scooter crashed into her vehicle hitting the driver’s door.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, said her client, who had no previous convictions, had been interviewed by police about the offence around 3.20pm.

Ms Mugford added: ”She was not responsible for the accident. The man in the disability scooter drove into the side of her car. She did not appreciate alcohol would still be in her system from the night before.”

Michael Beresford, 20, assault

A man has admitted assaulting a female nurse at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Michael Beresford, 20, of Birkside Way, Mereside, pleaded guilty to assaulting the nurse on December 13 last year.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, told magistrates the prosecution said Beresford pushed the nurse and punched her in the chest. Bereford denied punching her.

Beresford’s case was adjourned to April 4 for a hearing at which both prosecution and defence evidence will be heard.