Blackpool: From the courts 08-03-17

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

Gary Kennedy, 30, assault

A bodybuilder who battered his former girlfriend putting her in hospital gave himself up to police and asked to be jailed.

Gary Kennedy was said to have kicked his ex in the head and punched her while she was on the ground.

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Kennedy, a 30-year-old plasterer, of Nethway Avenue, Layton, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm.

He was remanded in custody to appear for sentence on April 5 at Preston Crown Court by District Judge Nalla Lawrence.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Kennedy met up with his ex and friends for drinks on March 5.

His ex said she had drunk a lot of vodka before she and Kennedy argued.

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Kennedy became extremely angry and she found herself on the floor. She said he kicked her in the head about three times and punched her several times.

In the morning she saw a note from Kennedy at her home which stated: “I cannot believe what I did to you. I belong in jail.”

He later went to a police station and confessed.

She went round to see her mother who insisted on her going to hospital. She suffered from an extremely swollen black eye plus bruising and swelling to her head, shoulder, hand and back. Kennedy, who said he trained in the gym and took steroids, had a number of crimes of violence on his record and was in breach of a suspended prison sentence for an offence of domestic violence.

Mitch Sarangi, defending, told the judge: “It is still his wish he gets a custodial sentence. He accepts punching the aggrieved but not kicking her.”

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Holly Fields, 56, breach of the peace

A woman threatened to stab herself and then said she would kill her former girlfriend.

Holly Fields, 56, of Park Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to breach of the peace and was bound over in the sum of £50 for 12 months by District Judge Lawrence.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said a police officer went round to Fields address on March 5 at 5pm, in relation to a harassment warning he was about to give her.

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She became angry and agitated and threatened to harm herself.

The officer tried to calm her down but she tried to get knives out of a box in the kitchen saying she was going to stab herself.

The officer called for reinforcements and then an ambulance after Fields dropped to the floor clutching her chest.

A paramedic checked her over and found she did not need medical attention.

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She again said she would kill herself and then said she was going round to her former girlfriend’s to kill her.

Fields told the judge: “If anything my ex is harassing me.

“She is a compulsive pathological liar.

“I moved from London to be with her. She left me two days later and I found out she had had an affair on Facebook.”

She added that police had given her ex a verbal harassment warning to stay away from her.

Fields said her former girlfriend still had keys to her address.

Paige Fiske, 23, dishonestly claiming income support

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A mother accused of benefit fraud contacted a court to say she could not attend because her child was sick.

Paige Fiske, 23, of Meyler Avenue, Layton, is accused of illegally claiming income support by dishonestly failing to promptly notify the Department of Work and Pensions of a change of circumstances that she was working between August and October 2014.

She was bailed by Judge Lawrence.

John Battersby, 27, fraud

A motor mechanic defrauded the MOT test centre he worked for both before and after he was sacked.

John Battersby illegally ordered £1,356 of car parts for his own vehicle and for other people’s cars.

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Battersby, 27, formerly of Meanwood Avenue, Marton, now living in Millmore Avenue, Prestatyn, pleaded guilty to fraud between November 6 last year and January 25 this year.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Battersby had worked at the BAR Mot Test Centre on the Poulton Industrial Estate. He was sacked in November after complaints about his workmanship.

After he left, the firm’s boss found Battersby had ordered car parts on the company account both before and after he was sacked.

When apprehended Battersby said he had been going to pay back what he owed but he had been in hospital.

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Leisa Splaine, defending, said her client accepted his behaviour had been a breach of trust.

Battersby was bailed to appear on April 5 for sentence at Preston Crown Court by District Judge Lawrence.

Nathan Stewart, 22, breach of restraining order and criminal damage

A girl of seven was left terrified after her mother’s former boyfriend caused more than £2,000 of damage to their home.

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When a policeman called at the address the little girl ran out screaming and crying because she thought her mum’s ex had returned.

It took the officer an hour to calm her down and he described it as the most devastating evidence of Nathan Stewart’s behaviour.

Stewart, 22, of Vicarage Lane, Marton, pleaded guilty to two offences of breaching a restraining order and two offences of causing damage.

He was sentenced to eight weeks jail and ordered to pay £2,200 compensation to his ex with £115 victims’ surcharge by District Lawrence.

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The judge told him: “You behaved in an appalling way - there was a young girl at that address.”

Stewart was also put on an indefinite restraining order not to communicate with his ex.

Prosecutor, Martine Connah, said Stewart had previously been put on a restraining order not to contact his ex, but between February 24 and 27 he committed four offences.

He first went to her address and caused £100 of damage to a window.

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He returned later and threw a brick which broke a window and the television causing £2,200 of damage.

Stewart also messaged his ex 44 times and put two fingers up when he saw her.

The victim said he was making her life a misery and he needed to accept their relationship was over.

Brett Chappell, defending, said his client had received the appalling news his father had cancer.

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His mental health spiralled out of the control and he sought solace in drink.

Stewart cared for his father single-handed and then crumbled through the strain of it.

He turned to his ex, his previous love, but because of his mental health problems behaved in an appalling way.