Blackpool: From the courts 03-04-17

Troy Stokes, 20, assault and being drunk and disorderly

A food factory worker launched an unprovoked attack on a man trying to calm him down on a night out.

Troy Stokes punched the victim twice in the face and behaved so violently police had to pepper-spray him.

Stokes, 20, of The Spinney, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to assault and being drunk and disorderly.

He was sentenced to an 18 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, ordered to do 80 hours unpaid work for the community and told to pay £150 compensation to the man he attacked with £85 costs plus £85 victims’ surcharge.

Presiding magistrate, Charles Peake, told him: “Believe me, you were not far away from custody, particularly as the assault was unprovoked.”

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Stokes was on Queen Street on March 13 at 5am.

He appeared agitated and injured and a man spoke to him trying to calm him down.

In an unprovoked attack Stokes punched him twice in the face leaving him with a swollen eye and a cut below the eye.

Police saw Stokes with the victim in a headlock. Stokes was storming around shouting “come on” at people and an officer pepper sprayed him. He had two previous convictions for violence one of which he had gone to prison for.

Suzanne Mugford, defending, said her client had little recall of what happened. He had drunk eight pints, lager, wine and spirits.

Stokes was a pleasant polite hard working young man but could flip when he drank too much.

Here is a round-up of some of Friday’s cases at Blackpool Magistrates Court 31-03-17

Sean Callaghan, 27, theft

A man accused of stealing thousands of pounds from Funny Girls - the burlesque cabaret showbar in Blackpool - has been put on the wanted list.

Sean Callaghan, 27, of Alexandra Road, South Shore, is accused of stealing £3,852 while working at Funny Girls in July last year.

Callaghan had a warrant without bail issued by Blackpool magistrates for his arrest after he failed to attend court.

Daniel Drinkwater, 27, drunk and disorderly

A labourer whose drunken behaviour upset medical staff and patients at a Blackpool hospital asked magistrates to put him on a tag to keep him in at night and out of trouble.

Daniel Drinkwater’s request to have a curfew imposed on him to stop him going out and getting drunk was turned down because the court did not have the power to impose such a sentence for the offence he had committed.

Drinkwater, 27, of Burnley Road, Colne, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

He was fined £160 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge.

Presiding magistrate, Charles Peake, told him: “It is not possible or within our power to put you on a tag for this offence.”

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said police were called to an ambulance outside Blackpool Victoria Hospital where Drinkwater was being verbally abusive to the paramedics on March 12 at 6.10am.

He started crashing his head into the ambulance window, hurting himself and was taken into the Accident and Emergency Department. He continued to be aggressive and abusive to medical staff and disturbed other patients.

Drinkwater told the court he had been drinking too much and suffering blackouts lately. His wife had left him a couple of months before because of his alcohol problem and he had now asked for help from rehabilitation specialists.

Andrew Darlington, 36, theft

A man with a drug problem twice stole money from McDonalds restaurants.

Andrew Darlington first targeted the fast food branch in Rigby Road taking money paid for raffle tickets and then the Bank Hey Street shop stealing two bags of change.

Darlington, 36, of Shannon Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to two offences of theft and two breaches of a community order imposed for shoplifting.

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with 12 months drugs rehabilitation and ordered to pay £90 compensation plus £85 costs.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said the manager of McDonald’s on Rigby Road noticed a collection tin containing money taken for the sale of raffle tickets, which he calculated contained £70, was missing on January 24.

He checked the CCTV which showed Darlington taking the tin and hiding it under his coat. Darlington told police he went in for a hot drink and when the assistant’s back was turned he grabbed the tin.

He was struggling with an addiction at the time and spent the money on drugs,

On February 5 he went into McDonalds, Bank Hey Street, and stole two bags of change containing £20 after ordering food and when the assistant was not looking. He said he spent the cash on drugs and food.

Defence solicitor, Patrick Nelligan, said drug addiction had blighted Darlington’s life for a number of years. Both thefts had been opportunistic. He was now getting help from drug rehabilitation specialist

David Budgeon, 33, assault

Blackpool Magistrates refused an application for bail for a man accused of assaulting two women in separate incidents.

David Budgeon, 33, of Derby Road, Blackpool will remain in custody until his trials start on April 17.

He has pleaded not guilty to both assaults and two allegations of criminal damage.

Criag Sykes, 47, driving while disqualified without insurance

A man was unable to attend court because he had been taken to hospital with chest pains, Blackpool magistrates were told.

Craig Sykes, 47, of Peel Hill Cottages, Peel Road, Peel, who is accused of driving while disqualified without insurance, had his case adjourned.

Eric Whike, 45, threatening to kill

A 45-year-old man has been remanded in custody charged with threatening to kill his partner.

Eric Whike, of Branstree Road, Mereside, is also charged with possession of cannabis and assaulting the same woman causing her actual bodily harm during an incident at their home on March 28.

Whike was remanded in custody until his case his next heard at Preston Crown Court on May 3.

Carl Frost, 30, assault

A Blackpool man has denied assault.

Carl Frost, 30, of Queens Promenade is alleged to have assaulted a woman on March 28.

Frost denies the offence. He was refused bail.