Blackpool: From the courts 16-07-18

Stephen Allen, 48, non compliance with community order, failure to pay fines

An anti-fracking protester failed to obey an order banning him from going within a mile of a gas exploration site.

Stephen Allen was being sentenced by District Judge Jeff Brailsford for two assaults, non compliance with a community order and failure to pay over £1,000 in fines.

Allen, 48, had been made the subject of a one mile exclusion zone around the Cuadrilla gas exploration site at Preston New Road, Little Plumpton, at an earlier hearing.

He was also told to do 20 unpaid work for the community.

Allen had done just one hour’s induction for the work when he disappeared to Scotland.

His lawyer said: “He has disengaged from society and has no money not benefits.”

However the judge told Allen: “You will do the unpaid work plus another sixty hours and you will start paying your fines at £10 a week in 28 days time.”

The judge lifted the exclusion zone on Allen from the Dugdale Close camp, Blackpool.

He said: “I do so because a High Court injunction protecting the Cuadrilla and other people has now been extended to 2020.

“You will be subject to that in future.”

Allen was previously convicted of assaulting two security guards during a melee at the site entrance.

He w as given an eighteen month conditional discharge for those offences and must pay each victim £75 compensation and £150 court costs.

The judge added: “I have ordered that these financial penalties and fines owed to the court are reviewed by a judge in October.”

Karl Machin, 38, conveying a threatening message

A former soldier told his ex girlfriend he would come to the salon where she worked and kick the door in.

Karl Machin, a 38-year-old advertising agency worker, of Malvern Avenue, Stalmine, pleaded guilty to conveying a threatening message.

He was sentenced to a 12 month community order with up to 15 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service and fined £150 with £85 costs plus £85 victims’ surcharge by District Judge Roger Lowe.

Prosecutor, Sarah Perkins, said Machin and his girlfriend split-up after she discovered he had been texting another woman and that he had fallen off the wagon and started drinking again.

On May 24, he sent his ex a message on Facebook stating “just watch I’m going to kick the door through at the salon”.

She replied that the door was not hers and she only rented a room there.

Machin then threatened to kick the door in at her home.

He then phoned and was shouting and swearing. Machin’s mother contacted the ex because she was concerned about what her son might do.

Machin had a record of previous convictions for assaulting a previous partner and breaching a non-molestation order against another girlfriend.

Patrick Nelligan, defending, said the couple had been in a relationship for 20 months and this had been the only incident between them.

Machin hoped they could resume their relationship.

Machin had joined the Army at the age of 16 and spent five-and-a-half years in The Queens Lancashire Regiment.

Graham Hall, 45, assault occasioning actual bodily harm

A man accused of headbutting his girlfriend causing a cut to her head which had to be glued together at hospital has made his first appearance at court.

Graham Hall, 45, of North Albion Street, Fleetwood, pleaded not guilty to assaulting his partner causing her actual bodily harm on June 5.

The prosecution did not oppose an application for bail for Hall by defence lawyer Steven Townley.

Hall was bailed for trial on September 5.

Callum Thomson, 19, theft

A teenager got drunk on the beach then went out and stole bottles of spirits as he wanted more to drink.

Callum Thomson, 19, of Lindel Road, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to theft and being in breach of a suspended Young Offender’s custody sentence for an offence of assault,

He was sentenced to a 12 months community order with up to 20 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service, had his suspended young offender’s custody sentence extended by six months and was ordered to pay £14.97p compensation.

Prosecutor, Adrian Hollamby, said Thomson took three bottles of spirits from B and M Bargains, Cleveleys on May 13.

Thomson said he had got drunk on the beach and wanted more alcohol.