Blackpool: From the courts 06-04-17

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

Jake Blunden, 19, assault

A teenager launched an unprovoked attack on a husband and wife after his uncle spiked his drink with drugs a court was told.

Jake Blunden punched a bar owner twice in the face and his wife on the back after the drug ketamine, used as a horse anaesthetic, was put in his pint.

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Blunden, a 19-year-old former plasterer, of Lytham Road, South Shore, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm to the husband and assaulting the wife.

He was sentenced to 24 weeks jail, suspended for 18 months with up to 30 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service and ordered to pay £250 compensation to the husband plus £50 compensation to the wife by magistrates.

Presiding magistrate, Paul Farquhar, told him: “We have listened to the facts of this case which were horrendous. You were very close to going down the stairs.”

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said a married couple were in Blackpool town centre on December 20 at 1.45am, when the husband saw Blunden kicking the metal shutters of a bar.

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Blunden came up and kept shouting about a taxi driver ripping him off. He swung a punch at the wife catching her on the lower back and when the husband tried to usher him away Blunden punched him twice in the face.

Later the husband went to hospital where doctors found he had a deviated nose and an ankle injury for which he had to wear a cast.

When interviewed, Blunden, who had a previous conviction for assault, told police he could not remember anything that happened.

In a report to the court, probation officer Lesley Whittaker, said Blunden rarely drank but he had been persuaded to go out and watch football. He drank two pints and later went into town.

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Ms Whittaker added: “He says his uncle has since admitted he spiked his drink with ketamine because he wanted to see what his reaction would be.

“The defendant says he had no intention of drinking again.”

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said his client had shown genuine remorse and regret and had indicated he would like to meet the man concerned to explain himself.

Francis Robb and Gillian O’Toole, both 51, theft

Two ship workers stole clothes valued at hundreds of pounds from a Blackpool shop because they were in financial difficulties.

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Francis Robb, 51, a merchant seaman, of Mariners Wharf and Gillian O’Toole, a 51-year-old worker on ships out of Dover each admitted theft of £448 of men’s suit trousers from Marks and Spencer.

Robb also admitted stealing £995 worth of men and women’s clothing from Marks and Spencer, Kendal, the same day.

Robb was fined £970 with £85 costs and ordered to pay £48 victims’ surcharge by magistrates.

O’Toole was sentenced to do 50 hours unpaid work for the community and ordered to pay £85 costs with £30 victims’ surcharge.

The couple are both from Liverpool.

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Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said the couple’s car was stopped at St Annes on March 3 and the stolen clothing was found in the vehicle.

Mitch Sarangi, defending, said the couple, who had been in a relationship but were now just friends, had both been in considerable financial difficulty.

Robb, who had served time in prison for a drug offence, had money to pay back after a proceeds of crime application against him was successful and some county court judgements. O’Toole owed the Department of Work and Pensions £24,000.

Sean Singleton, 21, assault

A man accused of assaulting a woman at Fleetwood has been put on the wanted list.

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Sean Singleton, 21, of Lower Lune Street, Fleetwood, had a warrant without bail issued by magistrates for his arrest after he failed to attend court.

Christopher Hinde, 28, threatening behaviour

A man accused of using a set of pans as drums before threatening to smash in a neighbour’s flat door has made his first appearance at court.

Christopher Hinde, 28, formerly of Withnell Road, South Shore, now of no fixed address, pleaded not guilty to threatening to use violence to gain entry to an address in Withnell Road when someone on the premises opposed his entry on April 2.

Hinde was bailed to June 2 for trial by magistrates. He must not contact the complainant or go to Withnell Road, apart from once with a police officer to collect his belongings, and must report to the police twice a week as conditions of his bail.

Lewis Bailey, 24, assaulting a police officer

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A man has pleaded not guilty to assaulting a woman police constable at Fleetwood.

Lewis Bailey, 24, of Westmorland Avenue, South Shore, who was not present at court as he was ill in hospital, was bailed for a new trial date to be set by resort magistrates.

Ashley Stringer, 28, criminal damage

A man accused of kicking a neighbour’s door has appeared at court.

Ashley Stringer, 28, of Cambridge Road, Blackpool, pleaded not guilty to causing £285 damage.

Stringer was bailed to April 18 for trial by magistrates.

Elizabeth Raynor, 61, and Marcus Raynor, 28, fraud

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A mother and son charged with defrauding another member of their family have had their cases sent for trial at Preston Crown Court.

Elizabeth Raynor, 61, and her son Marcus Raynor , 28, both from Clifton Drive North,St Annes denied stealing £12,000 from Anthony Raynor by fraudulently signing three cheques between December 1 and 11 in 2013.

Magistrates agreed to sent the duo for trial at the higher court after being told by prosecutor Adrian Hollamby that the cases would involve complex issues including medical evidence and evidence from the Family Court.

The mother and son were bailed to appear at Crown Court on 
May 3.

Darren Hoyle, 31, breach of bail

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A man who failed to sign in as required at a police station handed himself in later.

Darren Hoyle, 31, of Kimberley Avenue, South Shore, pleaded guilty to breaching a condition of police bail. magistrates agreed to rebail him.

Prosecutor, Peter Bardsley, said Hoyle had been bailed with a condition he reported at a police station twice a week.

On April 3 he failed to go to the station and sign in.

Malcolm Cartwright, defending, said Hoyle had been in a state and got his dates mixed up.

As soon as he realised what he had done he handed himself in.