Blackpool: From the courts 29-03-17

David Enright, 33, being in charge of a car while over the alcohol limit

A man tried to spit at a police inspector and a constable as they struggled to arrest him in Blackpool and told one officer he had raped the officer’s mother and daughter.

David Enright, 33, of Huntington Street, Keighley, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to two assaults on police and being in charge of a car while over the alcohol limit.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 10 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work for community, disqualified from driving for 12 months and told to pay £75 compensation to each officer with £85 costs plus £85 victims’ surcharge by District Judge Jeff Brailsford.

The judge told him: “These were police officers doing their job, which is a difficult enough job, and they have you kicking off and trying to spit at them and making the most vile comments.”

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said police got a tip-off a man driving a BMW had mounted the kerb in Central Drive, Blackpool, on March 24 at 8.50pm

Police arrived to see Enright walking to the parked BMW and trying to put the key into the ignition.

When questioned Enright tried to spit at the two officers.

The inspector managed to turn Enright’s head and he spat on the roof of the police car.

Enright said a male friend had been driving the car before and that he had not been trying the ignition but getting some cigarettes.

He added he was not spitting towards the officers but at the police car.

His defence lawyer said Enright, who was in the resort celebrating his girlfriend’s birthday, had been drinking and had little recollection of what happened. Since sobering up he had been apologetic and genuinely contrite.

Here is a round-up of some of Tuesday’s cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court 28-03-17

John Lomas, 36, assault

A man hit an eight-year-old girl on the arm during a game he called “Slaps” a court was told.

John Lomas slapped the little girl on her sunburned arm so hard that a purple bruise was still visible a week later.

Lomas, a 36-year-old father-of-six, of Hornby Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to assault.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 30 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, put on a four weeks tagged curfew from 9pm to 7am and ordered to pay £100 costs with £85 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

Prosecutor, Sarah Perkins, said witnesses saw Lomas playing a game he called “Slaps” with the girl on June 1, last year.

He was described as hitting the girl hard on the upper arm. A witness said the game did not look like fun and the girl was crying afterwards.

When interviewed by police he tried to put the blame on the girl.

He said he had been going to pat her on the back but she turned and he hit her sunburned arm instead.

Hugh Pond, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, was educationally challenged and had an appropriate adult with him during his interview with the police as the custody sergeant had taken the view he needed someone to assist him.

Lomas also suffered from depression and took medication.

Sonia Richardson, 40, theft and breach of a community order

A woman slipped back into a life of crime when she started using heroin again. Sonia Richardson, 40, of Ansdell Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to theft and breaching a community order.

She was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, put on a 21 days curfew from 9pm to 6am, ordered to do six months drug rehabilitation, fined £50 and told to pay £20 compensation by District Judge Brailsford.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Richardson stole £45 worth of goods including meat and cheese from Lidl, Bloomfield Road, on March 25. When interviewed she said she had taken the items to sell to pay for bed and breakfast accommodation.

Brian Weatherington, prosecuting for the probation service, said Richardson had previously been sentenced to 13 months imprisonment for an offence of burglary. She was on post-sentence supervision and failed to attend two appointments with her probation officer.

Brett Chappell, defending, said Richardson’s life had been blighted by her addiction to heroin, but after coming out of prison she had stopped using drugs, got accommodation and worked with the probation service.

Mr Chappell added: “Matters unravelled when she lost her accommodation and she turned to people from her past. She then started dabbling in drugs and was back to taking a bag of heroin a day.”

Shaun Mallinder, 26, assault

A man accused of pushing a girlfriend causing her to fall over a sofa has made his first appearance at court.

Shaun Mallinder, 26, of Lytham Road, South Shore, pleaded not guilty to assault and was bailed to May 30 for trial by District Judge Brailsford.

Alan Bates, 59, fraud

A man accused of benefit fraud has had the date of his trial altered.

Alan Bates, 59, of Lightburne Avenue, St Annes, who pleaded not guilty to making a false statement to obtain universal credit by failing to declare two occupational pensions had his trial set for May 19 by District Judge Brailsford.

Ionut Nicolae, 28, breach of bail

A man due to be sentenced on drug offences failed to report twice to police.

Ionut Nicolae, 28, of Foxhall Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to two offences of breaching bail.

District Judge Brailsford agreed to rebail him.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said Nicolae was scheduled for sentence in April on drug offences and had been bailed with a number of conditions including one which required him to report at Blackpool police station daily between noon and 2pm.

On March 1 and 25 Nicolae failed to attend at the police station to sign in.

Brett Chappell, defending, said he had warned his client he was jeopardising his liberty.

Nicolae had missed going to the police station because he had been working for a building firm which had been doing a lot of work in the Lancaster area, but that job was no longer available to him.

Daniel Cathie, 25, breach of a suspended prison sentence

A man failed to keep in touch with his probation officer and carry out payback work.

Daniel Cathie, 25, of Westfield Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to breaching a suspended prison sentence.

He was sentenced to do an extra 40 hours unpaid work for the community by District Judge Brailsford.

Brian Weatherington, prosecuting for the probation service, said Cathie had been sentenced to 16 weeks jail, suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 250 hours unpaid work for the community.